Regional-level representation of user location on a social media platform

ABSTRACT

A social media platform provides a map-based graphical user interface (GUI) for accessing social media content submitted to a social media platform supported by the map-based GUI. User icons are displayed on a map of the GUI to represent locations of friend users. The locations of at least some users are represented by their user icons at a regional granularity, such that the displayed locations that are different from their accurate locations, but that are located within an accurate geographical region such as a city or a town. Users can select the granularity level at which their icons are displayed to others.

PRIORITY APPLICATIONS

This application is a non-provisional application which claims thebenefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/556,134,filed Sep. 8, 2017; U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/552,958,filed Aug. 31, 2017; and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No.62/491,115, filed Apr. 27, 2017, the contents of which are incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties.

BACKGROUND

Social media applications implement computer-mediated technologiesallowing for the creating and sharing of content that communicatesinformation, ideas, career interests, and other forms of expression viavirtual communities and networks. Social media platforms use web-basedtechnologies, desktop computers, and mobile technologies (e.g., smartphones and tablet computers) to create highly interactive platformsthrough which individuals, communities, and organizations can share,co-create, discuss, and modify user-generated content or pre-madecontent posted online.

Mobile electronic devices on which end-user social media applicationscan be executed typically provide geolocation services that determinethe geographic location of the mobile electronic device, by extensionindicating the geographic location of the associated user. Social mediacontent posted by users is often geo-tagged based on the geolocation ofa mobile electronic device (such as a mobile phone) by use of which thesocial media content is captured and/or posted to the social mediaplatform. In other embodiments, social media content may explicitly begeo-tagged by a user using a computer device that does not haveactivated geolocation services and/or that is not a mobile device (suchas a desktop PC).

In many social media platforms, the total number of individual socialmedia items that are available for viewing by any particular user can bevery large. Search mechanisms that enable users to locate social mediacontent that may be of interest to them can consume significantserver-side resources and often provide less than satisfactory searchresults.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Some aspects of the disclosure are illustrated in the appended drawings.Note that the appended drawings illustrate example embodiments of thepresent disclosure and cannot be considered as limiting the scope of thedisclosure.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example social media platformsystem for exchanging, posting, and consuming social media data (e.g.,messages and associated content) over a network.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating further details regarding asocial media platform system, according to example embodiments.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating data which may be stored in adatabase of the social media platform system, according to certainexample embodiments.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a structure of a message,according to some embodiments, generated by a social media clientapplication according to example embodiments.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example access-limitingprocess, in terms of which access to content (e.g., an ephemeralmessage, and associated multimedia payload of data) or a contentcollection (e.g., an ephemeral message gallery or story) may betime-limited (e.g., made ephemeral).

FIGS. 6A and 6B are respective schematic views of a client deviceproviding a map-based graphical user interface for a social mediaapplication, according to different respective example embodiments.

FIGS. 7A-7C are respective schematic views of a client device providinga destination selection interface forming part of a map-based graphicaluser interface for a social media application, according to some exampleembodiments.

FIGS. 8A-8C are respective screenshots of a map-based graphical userinterface, providing features relating to display of user icons in a mapforming part of the interface, according to an example embodiment.

FIGS. 9A and 9B are respective screenshots of the functionalities of amap-based graphical user interface that provides access to a chatinterface and to friend content via a friend icon displayed as part ofthe map, according to an example embodiment.

FIGS. 11A-11B is a series of schematic screenshots illustrating alocation-based search mechanism provided by a map-based graphical userinterface, according to one example embodiment.

FIGS. 10A-10D are respective schematic screenshots of a search interfaceforming part of a map-based graphical user interface, according to oneexample embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a schematic view of a social media platform system forproviding a map-based graphical user interface for a social mediaapplication, according to one example embodiment.

FIGS. 13A-13D is a series of schematic flow charts illustrating anexample embodiment of a method of providing a map-based graphical userinterface for a social media application that includes location-basedsearch functionality, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a schematic flowchart showing a method of providing amap-based graphical user interface that includes display of userlocation at a regional granularity level, according to an exampleembodiment.

FIGS. 15A and 15B is a pair of schematic flowcharts illustrating amethod of providing a social media platform GUI that provides one ormore friend-level access mechanisms for location-agnostic friendcontent, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 16 is a schematic flowchart illustrating a method of providing asocial media platform GUI that includes one or more mechanisms whichenable searching for social media content based on a location and/orattribute(s) of a selected friend user, according to an exampleembodiment.

FIGS. 17A and 17B or screenshots of a map-based graphical userinterface, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 18 is a flowchart illustrating a method of providing for friendicon clustering, according to example embodiments.

FIG. 19 is a screenshot of a map-based graphical user interface,according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 20 is a block diagram illustrating a representative softwarearchitecture, which may be used in conjunction with various hardwarearchitectures herein described.

FIG. 21 is a block diagram illustrating components of a machine,according to some example embodiments, able to read instructions from amachine-readable medium (e.g., a machine-readable storage medium) andperform any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein.

The headings provided herein are merely for convenience and do notnecessarily affect the scope or meaning of the terms used.

DESCRIPTION

One aspect of the disclosure provides a geographical map-based graphicaluser interface (GUI) for a social media platform or application, toallow user access via the map-based GUI to ephemeral social mediacontent. Such an interface is also referred to herein as a “map GUI.”

As will be described in greater detail below, ephemeral social mediacontent comprises social media items that are available for viewing viathe social media application for only a limited period. For example, anephemeral social media item or message (also referred to herein as a“snap”) submitted by a user to the social media application may beavailable for viewing by other users via the map GUI of the social mediaapplication for only a predefined period subsequent to submission. Inone example embodiment, each ephemeral item or snap has an availabilitylifetime (also referred to herein as a “gallery participation timer”) of24 hours after submission, after which the ephemeral item “disappears”and is no longer available for viewing by other users via the map GUI.Such ephemeral social media items (also referred to herein as ephemeralmessages) typically comprise photographic or video content, which may besubmitted with or without augmentations made by the user to theunderlying photographic or video content.

Ephemeral messages submitted by multiple different users may beavailable on a map forming part of the map GUI based at least in part onrespective location information (e.g., geotag information) of theephemeral messages. In some embodiments, the map GUI may providelocation-based access to one or more collections of ephemeral socialmedia items (also known as and referred to herein as galleries or“stories”). In some example embodiments, a plurality of ephemeralmessages submitted by different users are included in a commongeo-anchored gallery or story based at least in part on respectivegeotagging information of the plurality of ephemeral messages. Such alocation-based gallery or story is in some embodiments represented onthe map GUI by a respective gallery icon displayed at a correspondingmap location, the gallery icon being selectable by the user to triggerautomated sequential display of the plurality of ephemeral messages inthe gallery on the user device on which the map GUI is rendered.

In some embodiments, such a map GUI includes representations (e.g. bymeans of friend icons or bitmojis) of at least approximate respectivepositions of a user's friends in a social network graph accessed by thesocial media application, with the social media application enabling theuser to explore the world around friends' locations by use of the GUI.Thus, the map GUI can in some embodiments enable the user to exploreuploaded social media content (e.g., individual photos or videoclips/snaps, or social media galleries such as stories comprisingrespective collections of photos, messages, or snaps).

One aspect of the disclosure provides for display of user locations inthe map GUI at a regional level of granularity, such that the userlocation is displayed at an intentionally inaccurate location within adefined geographical region in which the user is actually located. Someembodiments enable a user to selectively vary the level of displaygranularity applying to their user icon when the map GUI is rendered onthe user devices of other users, for example enabling the user to switchbetween a precise and a regional level of granularity. In one exampleembodiment, the regional level of granularity displays the user locationaccurately at a city or town level.

These and additional aspects of the disclosure will be described belowwith reference to specific example embodiments. First, platformarchitecture and a technical background to implementation of the variousembodiments will be described with reference to FIGS. 1-5. Thereafter,specific example embodiments are described with reference to FIGS.6A-19. FIGS. 20-21 finally describe aspects of software and hardwarecomponents that are in some instances used in the implementation of thedescribed example embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The description that follows includes systems, methods, devices,techniques, instruction sequences, and computing machine programproducts that embody illustrative embodiments of the disclosure. In thefollowing description, for the purposes of explanation, numerousspecific details are set forth in order to provide an understanding ofvarious embodiments of the inventive subject matter. It will be evident,however, to those skilled in the art, that embodiments of the disclosedsubject matter may be practiced without these specific details. Ingeneral, well-known instruction instances, protocols, structures, andtechniques are not necessarily shown in detail.

System Architecture and Operating Environment

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example social media platformsystem 100 for exchanging data (e.g., social media items or messages andassociated content) over a network. In this description, itemscommunicated from one user to one or more other users via a social mediaapplication or platform, as well as items uploaded or provided by usersto a social media application or platform for availability to orconsumption by other users via the social media application or platform,are referred to as “messages.” Thus, the term “messages” as used hereinis not limited to communications from one user to specified recipientusers, but includes messages made available for public consumption viathe relevant social media platform.

The social media platform system 100 includes multiple client devices102, each of which hosts a number of applications including a socialmedia client application 104. Each social media client application 104is communicatively coupled to other instances of the social media clientapplication 104 and a social media application server system 108 via anetwork 106 (e.g., the Internet).

Accordingly, each social media client application 104 is able tocommunicate and exchange data with another social media clientapplication 104 and with the social media application server system 108via the network 106. The data exchanged between social media clientapplications 104, and between a social media client application 104 andthe social media application server system 108, includes functions(e.g., commands to invoke functions) as well as payload data (e.g.,text, audio, video, or other multimedia data).

The social media application server system 108 provides server-sidefunctionality via the network 106 to a particular social media clientapplication 104. While certain functions of the social media platformsystem 100 are described herein as being performed by either a socialmedia client application 104 or by the social media application serversystem 108, it will be appreciated that the location of certainfunctionality either within the social media client application 104 orthe social media application server system 108 is a design choice. Forexample, it may be technically expedient to initially deploy certaintechnology and functionality within the social media application serversystem 108, but to later migrate this technology and functionality tothe social media client application 104 where a client device 102 has asufficient processing capacity.

The social media application server system 108 supports various servicesand operations that are provided to the social media client application104. Such operations include transmitting data to, receiving data from,and processing data generated by the social media client application104. This data may include message content, client device information,geolocation information, media annotations and overlays, message contentpersistence conditions, social network information, and live eventinformation, as examples. Data exchanges within the social mediaplatform system 100 are invoked and controlled through functionsavailable via user interfaces (UIs) of the social media clientapplication 104.

Turning now specifically to the social media application server system108, an application programming interface (API) server 110 is coupledto, and provides a programmatic interface to, an application server 112.The application server 112 is communicatively coupled to a databaseserver 118, which facilitates access to a database 120 in which isstored data associated with messages processed by the application server112.

Dealing specifically with the API server 110, this server receives andtransmits message data (e.g., commands and message payloads) between theclient device 102 and the application server 112. Specifically, the APIserver 110 provides a set of interfaces (e.g., routines and protocols)that can be called or queried by the social media client application 104in order to invoke functionality of the application server 112. The APIserver 110 exposes various functions supported by the application server112, including account registration; login functionality; the sending ofmessages, via the application server 112, from a particular social mediaclient application 104 to another social media client application 104;the sending of media files (e.g., images or video) from a social mediaclient application 104 to a social media server application 114, forpossible access by another social media client application 104; thesetting of a collection of media data (e.g., a story or gallery); theretrieval of such collections; the retrieval of a list of friends of auser of a client device 102; the retrieval of messages and content; theadding and deletion of friends to and from a social graph; the locationof friends within a social graph; opening an application event (e.g.,relating to the social media client application 104); and so forth.

The application server 112 hosts a number of applications andsubsystems, including the social media server application 114, an imageprocessing system 116, and a social network system 122. The social mediaserver application 114 implements a number of message processingtechnologies and functions, particularly related to the aggregation andother processing of content (e.g., textual and multimedia content)included in messages received from multiple instances of the socialmedia client application 104. As will be described in further detail,the text and media content from multiple sources may be aggregated intocollections of content (e.g., called “stories” or “galleries”). Thesecollections are then made available, by the social media serverapplication 114, to the social media client application 104. Otherprocessor- and memory-intensive processing of data may also be performedserver-side by the social media server application 114, in view of thehardware requirements for such processing.

The application server 112 also includes the image processing system116, which is dedicated to performing various image processingoperations, typically with respect to images or video received withinthe payload of a message at the social media server application 114.

The social network system 122 supports various social networkingfunctions and services, and makes these functions and services availableto the social media server application 114. To this end, the socialnetwork system 122 maintains and accesses an entity graph 304 (describedbelow with reference to FIG. 3) within the database 120. Examples offunctions and services supported by the social network system 122include the identification of other users of the social media platformsystem 100 with whom a particular user has relationships or whom theparticular user is “following,” and also the identification of otherattributes and interests of a particular user. In some embodiments, thesocial network system 122 includes an identification of other userswhose location is available for viewing by a particular user via amap-based GUI displayable on a client device 102 using the correspondingsocial media client application 104.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating further details regarding thesocial media platform system 100, according to example embodiments.Specifically, the social media platform system 100 is shown to comprisethe social media client application 104 and the application server 112,which in turn embody a number of some subsystems, namely an ephemeraltimer system 202, a collection management system 204, and an annotationsystem 206.

The ephemeral timer system 202 is responsible for enforcing thetemporary access to content permitted by the social media clientapplication 104 and the social media server application 114. To thisend, the ephemeral timer system 202 incorporates a number of timersthat, based on duration and display parameters associated with amessage, or collection/gallery of messages (e.g., a SNAPCHAT story),selectively display and enable access to messages and associated contentvia the social media client application 104. Further details regardingthe operation of the ephemeral timer system 202 are provided below.

The collection management system 204 is responsible for managingcollections of media (e.g., collections of text, image, video, and audiodata). In some examples, a collection of content (e.g., messages,including images, video, text, and audio) may be organized into an“event gallery” or an “event story.” Such a collection may be madeavailable for a specified time period, such as the duration of an eventto which the content relates, or until expiry of a last message or snapin the gallery. For example, content relating to a music concert may bemade available as a “story” for the duration of that music concert. Thecollection management system 204 may also be responsible for publishingan icon that provides notification of the existence of a particularcollection to the user interface of the social media client application104. As will be described in greater detail with reference to thespecific example embodiments that follow, the collection managementsystem 204 may also be responsible for compiling and managing multiplelocation-based social media galleries based at least in part on geo-tagdata of social media items or messages uploaded to the social mediaplatform by multiple users. Other types of galleries that may beprovided by the collection management system 204 include a “place story”that collects ephemeral messages having geotag data indicating alocation within a predefined associated geographical area; and an ad-hocstory or spike story that is dynamically surfaced on a map GUI asdescribed herein based on underlying location-based social mediaactivity, e.g., based on geo-temporal volume or anomality/unusualness ofsocial media items submitted by users for public consumption (e.g., forinclusion in a “Live Story” or “Our Story”). With “anomality” is meantis metric indicating a how anomalous something is.

The collection management system 204 furthermore includes a curationinterface 208 that allows a human operator (e.g., a collection manager)to manage and curate a particular collection of content. For example,the curation interface 208 enables an event organizer to curate acollection of content relating to a specific event (e.g., to deleteinappropriate content or redundant messages). Instead, or in addition,the collection management system 204 may employ machine vision (or imagerecognition technology), geotag data, and/or content rules toautomatically compile and/or curate a content collection. In certainembodiments, compensation may be paid to a user for inclusion ofuser-generated content into a collection. In such cases, the curationinterface 208 operates to automatically make payments to such users forthe use of their content.

The annotation system 206 provides various functions that enable a userto annotate or otherwise augment, modify, or edit media contentassociated with a message. For example, the annotation system 206provides functions related to the generation and publishing of mediaoverlays for messages processed by the social media platform system 100.The annotation system 206 operatively supplies a media overlay (e.g., aSNAPCHAT filter) to the social media client application 104 based on ageolocation of the client device 102. In another example, the annotationsystem 206 operatively supplies a media overlay to the social mediaclient application 104 based on other information, such as socialnetwork information of the user of the client device 102. A mediaoverlay may include audio and visual content and visual effects.Examples of audio and visual content include pictures, texts, logos,animations, and sound effects. An example of a visual effect includescolor overlaying. The audio and visual content or the visual effects canbe applied to a media content item (e.g., a photo) at the client device102. For example, the media overlay includes text that can be overlaidon top of a photograph taken by the client device 102. In anotherexample, the media overlay includes an identification of a locationoverlay (e.g., Venice Beach), a name of a live event, or a name of amerchant overlay (e.g., Beach Coffee House). In another example, theannotation system 206 uses the geolocation of the client device 102 toidentify a media overlay that includes the name of a merchant at thegeolocation of the client device 102. The media overlay may includeother indicia associated with the merchant. The media overlays may bestored in the database 120 and accessed through the database server 118.

In one example embodiment, the annotation system 206 provides auser-based publication platform that enables users to select ageolocation on a map, and upload content associated with the selectedgeolocation. The user may also specify circumstances under which aparticular media overlay should be offered to other users. Theannotation system 206 generates a media overlay that includes theuploaded content and associates the uploaded content with the selectedgeolocation.

In another example embodiment, the annotation system 206 provides amerchant-based publication platform that enables merchants to select aparticular media overlay associated with a geolocation via a biddingprocess. For example, the annotation system 206 associates the mediaoverlay of a highest-bidding merchant with a corresponding geolocationfor a predefined amount of time

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating data 300 which may be storedin the database 120 of the social media application server system 108,according to certain example embodiments. While the content of thedatabase 120 is shown to comprise a number of tables, it will beappreciated that the data could be stored in other types of datastructures (e.g., as an object-oriented database).

The database 120 includes message data stored within a message table314. An entity table 302 stores entity data, including an entity graph304. Entities for which records are maintained within the entity table302 may include individuals, corporate entities, organizations, objects,places, events, etc. Regardless of type, any entity regarding which thesocial media application server system 108 stores data may be arecognized entity. Each entity is provided with a unique identifier, aswell as an entity type identifier (not shown).

The entity graph 304 furthermore stores information regardingrelationships and associations between entities. Such relationships maybe social, professional (e.g., work at a common corporation ororganization), interested-based, or activity-based, merely for example.

The database 120 also stores annotation data, including in the exampleform of filters, in an annotation table 312. Filters for which data isstored within the annotation table 312 are associated with and appliedto videos (for which data is stored in a video table 310) and/or images(for which data is stored in an image table 308). Filters, in oneexample, are overlays that are displayed as overlaid on an image orvideo during presentation to a recipient user. Filters may be of varioustypes, including user-selected filters from a gallery of filterspresented to a sending user by the social media client application 104when the sending user is composing a message. Other types of filtersinclude geolocation filters (also known as geo-filters), which may bepresented to a sending user based on geographic location. For example,geolocation filters specific to a neighborhood or special location maybe presented within a user interface by the social media clientapplication 104, based on geolocation information determined by a GlobalPositioning System (GPS) unit of the client device 102. Another type offilter is a data filter, which may be selectively presented to a sendinguser by the social media client application 104, based on other inputsor information gathered by the client device 102 during the messagecreation process. Examples of data filters include a current temperatureat a specific location, a current speed at which a sending user istraveling, a battery life for a client device 102, or the current time.

Other annotation data that may be stored within the image table 308 isso-called “lens” data. A “lens” may be a real-time special effect andsound that may be added to an image or a video.

Yet further annotation data that may be stored within the annotationtable 312 is user-generated annotations or augmentations provided by theuser to overlay an underlying photographic image or video. Suchaugmentations/annotations can include, for example, text annotations anddrawing annotations or augmentations provided by the user, e.g., via aclient device touchscreen.

As mentioned above, the video table 310 stores video data which, in oneembodiment, is associated with messages for which records are maintainedwithin the message table 314. Similarly, the image table 308 storesimage data associated with messages for which message data is stored inthe message table 314. The entity table 302 may associate variousannotations from the annotation table 312 with various images and videosstored in the image table 308 and the video table 310.

A story table 306 stores data regarding collections of messages andassociated image, video, or audio data, which are compiled into acollection (e.g., a SNAPCHAT story or a gallery). The creation of aparticular collection may be initiated by a particular user (e.g., anyuser for whom a record is maintained in the entity table 302). A usermay create a “personal story” in the form of a collection of contentthat has been created and sent/broadcast by that user. To this end, theuser interface of the social media client application 104 may include anicon that is user selectable to enable a sending user to add specificcontent to his or her personal story. In the context of thisdescription, such messages and stories/galleries are understood to befor private consumption, being limited for viewing via the social mediaapplication to particular users identified by the submitting user or tousers who are members of a social network of the submitting user. Thisis to be contrasted with social media items provided for public ornon-private consumption via the social media application, not beinglimited to a user-specific or user-specified subset of all users of thesocial media application. An example of a publicly viewable collectionor gallery is a “Live Story” or “Our Story.”

As mentioned, a collection may also constitute a “Live Story,” which isa collection of content from multiple users that is created manually,automatically, or using a combination of manual and automatictechniques. For example, a “Live Story” may constitute a curated streamof user-submitted content from various locations and events. Users whoseclient devices have location services enabled and are at a common eventlocation at a particular time may, for example, be presented with anoption, via a user interface of the social media client application 104,to contribute content to a particular Live Story. The Live Story may beidentified to the user by the social media client application 104, basedon his or her location. The end result is a “Live Story” told from acommunity perspective. In accordance with some example embodiments ofthis disclosure, a submitting user can submit social media items ormessages to a non-specific common Live Story. Such content is accessibleto other users via a map-based graphical user interface, with suchsocial media items or messages being accessible via the map GUI based ona respective location indicated by corresponding geo-tag data, either byforming part of a location-based gallery or story, or by such otherusers using location-based search mechanisms forming part of the mapGUI.

A further type of content collection is known as a “location story,”which enables a user whose client device 102 is located within aspecific geographic location (e.g., on a college or university campus)to contribute to a particular collection. In some embodiments, acontribution to a location story may require a second degree ofauthentication to verify that the end user belongs to a specificorganization or other entity (e.g., is a student on the universitycampus). In some embodiments of this disclosure, a message uploaded to aLive Story or Our Story generally, without the user specifying aparticular location story in which the message is to be included, canautomatically or semi-automatically be included in a location storybased at least in part on geo-tag data of the message.

A map tile table 320 stores multiple map tiles that can be used forpresenting a map in a map viewport of a map-based GUI, according to someembodiments of this disclosure. In a particular example embodiment, eachmap view is composed of 9 or 16 map tiles stitched together. A pluralityof sets of map tiles may be maintained for different map zoom levels. Insome example embodiments, a superset of map tiles is maintainedserver-side, being forwarded to a requesting client device 102 forcomposing a map representation of specific requested areas.

A user location table 326 stores current or most recent user locationdata for multiple users of the social media application. The userlocation data may be based on location data received from respectiveclient devices 102 associated with the respective users. Such userlocation data is in some example embodiments used to display in amap-based GUI respective locations of a plurality of users who form partof the social network of the requesting user and/or who have providedpermission for the requesting user to view their locations. Each suchuser may be represented on a map forming part of the map GUI by arespective user icon or bitmoji.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a structure of a social mediaitem or message 400, according to some embodiments, generated by oneinstance of the social media client application 104 for communication toa further instance of the social media client application 104 or to thesocial media server application 114. The content of a particular message400 is used to populate the message table 314 stored within the database120, accessible by the social media server application 114. Similarly,the content of a message 400 is stored in memory as “in-transit” or“in-flight” data of the client device 102 or the application server 112.The message 400 is shown to include the following components:

A message identifier 402: a unique identifier that identifies themessage 400.

A message text payload 404: text, to be generated by a user via a userinterface of the client device 102 and that is included in the message400.

A message image payload 406: image data, captured by a camera componentof a client device 102 or retrieved from memory of a client device 102,and that is included in the message 400.

A message video payload 408: video data, captured by a camera componentor retrieved from a memory component of the client device 102 and thatis included in the message 400.

A message audio payload 410: audio data, captured by a microphone orretrieved from the memory component of the client device 102, and thatis included in the message 400.

A message annotation 412: annotation data (e.g., filters, stickers, orother enhancements) that represents annotations to be applied to themessage image payload 406, message video payload 408, or message audiopayload 410 of the message 400.

A display duration parameter 414: a parameter value indicating, inseconds, the amount of time for which content of the message (e.g., themessage image payload 406, message video payload 408, and message audiopayload 410) is to be presented or made accessible to a user via thesocial media client application 104. The display duration parameter 414is also referred to herein as a “display duration timer.”

A message geolocation parameter 416: geolocation data or geo-tag data(e.g., latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates) associated with thecontent payload of the message 400. Multiple message geolocationparameter 416 values may be included in the payload, each of theseparameter values being associated with respective content items includedin the content (e.g., a specific image within the message image payload406, or a specific video in the message video payload 408).

A message story identifier 418: identifier values identifying one ormore content collections (e.g., “stories”) with which a particularcontent item in the message image payload 406 of the message 400 isassociated. For example, multiple images within the message imagepayload 406 may each be associated with multiple content collectionsusing identifier values. An example of such a message story identifier418 can in some embodiments comprise one or more thumbnail images.

A message tag 420: each message 400 may be tagged with multiple tags,each of which is indicative of the subject matter of content included inthe message payload. For example, where a particular image included inthe message image payload 406 depicts an animal (e.g., a lion), a tagvalue may be included within the message tag 420 that is indicative ofthe relevant animal. Tag values may be generated manually, based on userinput, or may be automatically generated using, for example, imagerecognition.

A message sender identifier 422: an identifier (e.g., a messaging systemidentifier, email address, or device identifier) indicative of a user ofthe client device 102 on which the message 400 was generated and fromwhich the message 400 was sent.

A message receiver identifier 424: an identifier (e.g., a messagingsystem identifier, email address, or device identifier) indicative of auser of the client device 102 to which the message 400 is addressed.

The contents (e.g., values) of the various components of the message 400may be pointers to locations in tables within which content data valuesare stored. For example, an image value in the message image payload 406may be a pointer to (or address of) a location within an image table308. Similarly, values within the message video payload 408 may point todata stored within a video table 310, values stored within the messageannotation 412 may point to data stored in an annotation table 312,values stored within the message story identifier 418 may point to datastored in a story table 306, and values stored within the message senderidentifier 422 and the message receiver identifier 424 may point to userrecords stored within an entity table 302.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating an access-limiting process500, in terms of which access to content (e.g., an ephemeral message502, and associated multimedia payload of data) or a content collection(e.g., an ephemeral message story 504) may be time-limited (e.g., madeephemeral).

An ephemeral message 502 is shown to be associated with a displayduration parameter 506, the value of which determines an amount of timethat the ephemeral message 502 will be displayed to a receiving user ofthe ephemeral message 502 by the social media client application 104. Inone embodiment, where the social media client application 104 is aSNAPCHAT client application, an ephemeral message 502 is viewable by areceiving user for up to a maximum of 10 seconds, depending on theamount of time that the sending user specifies using the displayduration parameter 506. In some embodiments, the system automaticallyattaches a default display duration parameter 506 to photographic orstill-image messages, e.g., having a default display duration of 5seconds. The display duration parameter 506 of video-based messages mayautomatically correspond to the duration of the underlying video, withan automatically enforced upper limit. Thus, in an example embodiment inwhich an upper limit of 10 seconds is enforced, a 7-second video messagewill have a display duration parameter of 7 seconds.

The display duration parameter 506 and the message receiver identifier424 are shown to be inputs to a message timer 512, which is responsiblefor determining the amount of time that the ephemeral message 502 isshown to a particular receiving user identified by the message receiveridentifier 424. In particular, the ephemeral message 502 will only beshown to the relevant receiving user for a time period determined by thevalue of the display duration parameter 506. The message timer 512 isshown to provide output to a more generalized ephemeral timer system202, which is responsible for the overall timing of display of content(e.g., an ephemeral message 502) to a receiving user.

The ephemeral message 502 is shown in FIG. 5 to be included within asocial media gallery in the form of an ephemeral message story 504(e.g., a personal SNAPCHAT story, or an event story). The ephemeralmessage story 504 has a story duration parameter 508, a value of whichdetermines a time duration for which the ephemeral message story 504 ismade available and is accessible to users of the social media platformsystem 100. The story duration parameter 508, for example, may be theduration of a music concert, where the ephemeral message story 504 is acollection of content pertaining to that concert. Alternatively, a user(either the owning user or a curator user) may specify the value for thestory duration parameter 508 when performing the setup and creation ofthe ephemeral message story 504. In some embodiments, the story durationparameter 508 is determined based at least in part on respective storyparticipation parameters 510 (or lifetimes) of one or more of theephemeral messages 502 forming part of the particular ephemeral messagestory 504. In one example embodiment, the story duration parameter 508corresponds to a story participation parameter 510 or lifetime of alast-posted one of the ephemeral messages 502 in the relevant ephemeralmessage story 504. In such a case, the ephemeral message story 504expires (e.g., by becoming unavailable for viewing via the social mediaplatform) when the last-posted ephemeral message 502 therein expires(e.g., when a story participation parameter 510 or lifetime of the lastephemeral message 502 expires).

As alluded to above, each ephemeral message 502 within the ephemeralmessage story 504 has an associated story participation parameter 510(also referred to herein as a “gallery participation parameter” or a“gallery participation timer”), a value of which determines the durationof time for which the ephemeral message 502 will be accessible withinthe context of the ephemeral message story 504. Accordingly, aparticular ephemeral message 502 may “expire” and become inaccessiblewithin the context of the ephemeral message story 504, prior to theephemeral message story 504 itself expiring in terms of the storyduration parameter 508. The story duration parameter 508, storyparticipation parameter 510, and message receiver identifier 424 eachprovide input to a story timer 514, which operationally determines,first, whether a particular ephemeral message 502 of the ephemeralmessage story 504 will be displayed to a particular receiving user, and,if so, for how long. Note that the ephemeral message story 504 is alsoaware of the identity of the particular receiving user as a result ofthe message receiver identifier 424.

Accordingly, the story timer 514 in some embodiments operationallycontrols the overall lifespan of an associated ephemeral message story504, as well as an individual ephemeral message 502 included in theephemeral message story 504. In one embodiment, each and every ephemeralmessage 502 within the ephemeral message story 504 remains viewable andaccessible for a time period specified by the story duration parameter508. In a further embodiment, a certain ephemeral message 502 mayexpire, within the context of the ephemeral message story 504, based ona story participation parameter 510. Note that a respective displayduration parameter 506 may still determine the duration of time forwhich a particular ephemeral message 502 is displayed to a receivinguser upon replay of the ephemeral message 502, even within the contextof the ephemeral message story 504. Accordingly, the display durationparameter 506 determines the duration of time that a particularephemeral message 502 is displayed to a receiving user, regardless ofwhether the receiving user is viewing that ephemeral message 502 insideor outside the context of an ephemeral message story 504.

The ephemeral timer system 202 may furthermore operationally remove aparticular ephemeral message 502 from the ephemeral message story 504based on a determination that it has exceeded an associated storyparticipation parameter 510. For example, when a sending user hasestablished a story participation parameter 510 of 24 hours fromposting, the ephemeral timer system 202 will remove the relevantephemeral message 502 from the ephemeral message story 504 after thespecified 24 hours. The ephemeral timer system 202 also operates toremove an ephemeral message story 504 either when the storyparticipation parameter 510 for each and every ephemeral message 502within the ephemeral message story 504 has expired, or when theephemeral message story 504 itself has expired in terms of the storyduration parameter 508. Note that in this disclosure, at least someephemeral messages 502 may be submitted by the user to the social mediaapplication for general or public viewing via the map-based GUI, withoutbeing included by the user in any particular event gallery and withoutbeing included in any location-based gallery represented by a respectivegallery icon on the map GUI. Such ephemeral messages 502 in someembodiments also have respective story participation parameters 510specifying time periods for which the ephemeral messages 502 areaccessible via the map GUI as part of a collective Live Story or OurStory, as described with reference to specific example embodimentsbelow. In a particular example embodiment, each ephemeral message 502thus submitted for public or non-private view has a default galleryparticipation parameter or story participation parameter 510 of 24hours. Such ephemeral messages 502 are thus viewable via the map GUI foronly 24 hours after submission.

In certain use cases, a creator of a particular ephemeral message story504 may specify an indefinite story duration parameter 508. In thiscase, the expiration of the story participation parameter 510 for thelast remaining ephemeral message 502 within the ephemeral message story504 will determine when the ephemeral message story 504 itself expires.In this case, a new ephemeral message 502, added to the ephemeralmessage story 504, with a new story participation parameter 510,effectively extends the life of an ephemeral message story 504 to equalthe value of the story participation parameter 510.

In response to the ephemeral timer system 202 determining that anephemeral message story 504 has expired (e.g., is no longer accessible),the ephemeral timer system 202 communicates with the social mediaplatform system 100 (and, for example, specifically the social mediaclient application 104) to cause an indicium (e.g., an icon) associatedwith the relevant ephemeral message story 504 to no longer be displayedwithin a user interface of the social media client application 104.Similarly, when the ephemeral timer system 202 determines that the storyparticipation parameter 510 for a particular ephemeral message 502 hasexpired, the ephemeral timer system 202 causes the social media clientapplication 104 to no longer display an indicium (e.g., an icon ortextual identification) associated with the ephemeral message 502.

Example Embodiments of Map GUI Functionality

First, various aspects and features of the disclosure will be describedconceptually with respect to specific example embodiments discussed withreference to and illustrated in FIGS. 6A-11B.

Basic Map GUI Architecture

FIG. 6A shows an example embodiment of a map-based graphical userinterface, further referred to as a map GUI 612, displayed on a clientdevice 102 in the example form of a mobile phone. In this exampleembodiment, the map GUI 612 is generated on a display in the form of atouchscreen 606 capable of receiving haptic input. The map GUI 612includes an interactive map 618 showing a stylized aerial or satelliterepresentation of a particular geographical area. The map 618 isdisplayed within a map viewport 621 which, in this example embodiment,uses the full available area of the touchscreen 606. In other exampleembodiments, the map viewport 621 may be a bounded panel or windowwithin a larger display screen. The map GUI 612 further comprises aplurality of user-selectable graphical user interface elements displayedat specific respective geographic locations on the map 618. Each suchgeo-anchored GUI element is in this example embodiment represented by arespective indicium or icon overlaid on the map 618. The different typesof icons and their respective functionalities will be described ingreater detail below. As will also be described briefly, the map GUI 612may further include one or more informational overlays rendered over theunderlying geographical map 618, in this example embodiment including aheatmap 625 representative of the geographical distribution ofunderlying social media activity on the social media platform providedby the relevant social media application.

As mentioned, the map GUI 612 includes a number of differentuser-selectable icons or UI elements that indicate differentgeographically based content or information. In this example embodiment,the map GUI 612 includes a plurality of different gallery icons, alsoreferred to in this description as “story icons.” Each story iconcorresponds in location on the map 618 to a respective location-basedsocial media gallery or collection, in this example embodimentcorresponding to a location-based story of ephemeral messages in theexample form of so-called “snaps,” as discussed elsewhere herein. Eachof these stories that are represented by respective story icons on themap 618 consists of a respective set of snaps (respectively comprisingaugmented or unaugmented photographic or video content) that are groupedtogether based at least in part on respective geo-tag data associatedwith respective snaps.

In the example embodiment of FIG. 6A, the map GUI 612 includes twodifferent types of gallery icons for two different respective types oflocation-based social media galleries, namely place icons 631 for placegalleries/stories, and spike icons 633 for spike galleries/stories thatare dynamically surfaced on the map GUI 612 based on one or more metricsof underlying social media activity relating to the submission of socialmedia items/snaps to the social media platform with geo-tag dataindicating the respectively associated geographical areas. Note thatthese different types of galleries are represented by different types oficons 631, 633. The differences between these different types ofgalleries and the corresponding visually distinct gallery icons 631, 633are discussed later herein. The map GUI 612 in this example embodimentfurther includes friend icons in the example form of bitmojis 640 thatare displayed on the map GUI 612 based on the current or last knowngeographic location of respective friends of the user associated withthe client device 102.

Message and/or Story Ephemerality

In this example embodiment, the social media items that are selectivelyplayable by selection of the corresponding story icons 631, 633 in themap GUI 612 are ephemeral social media items or messages. As describedpreviously, ephemeral content is social media content (e.g., augmentedand/or unaugmented video clips, pictures, and/or other messages) that isavailable for viewing by social media users via the map GUI 612 for onlya predetermined limited period, also referred to herein as a respectivegallery participation parameter or timer. After expiry of a respectivegallery participation parameter or timer for any ephemeral message orsnap uploaded by a particular user, that ephemeral message or snap is nolonger available for viewing by other users via the map GUI 612generated on their respective client devices 102. Current examples ofsuch ephemeral social media content include the respective snaps ormessages included in so-called “stories” in the SNAPCHAT or theINSTAGRAM social media applications.

Instead of, or in addition to, management of ephemerality on a per-snaplevel using respective gallery participation timers, availability of theephemeral messages by the map GUI 612 can in some instances be managedcollectively, e.g., on a per-story level. In such instances, each storycan have a respective story duration parameter 508 (e.g., being based ona corresponding story timer 514—see FIG. 5), at the expiry of whichavailability of the corresponding story for viewing via the map GUI 612is terminated. In some embodiments, the story duration parameter 508 iscalculated based on the story participation parameter 510 of one of theephemeral messages included in the relevant story. For example, a storymay in some embodiments expire when a last uploaded item within thestory expires, in response to which the corresponding story icon 631,633 is no longer displayed on the map GUI 612. In one exampleembodiment, the map GUI 612 may include one or more event icons (e.g.,similar in appearance to the place icons 631 of FIG. 6A) correspondingto respective event stories, with the story duration parameter 508 ofthe event story being set to expire a predetermined period of time fromthe start or conclusion of the underlying event. At expiry of the storyduration parameter 508, the corresponding gallery icon 631, 633 isremoved from the map GUI 612, irrespective of individual timersassociated with respective snaps included in the event story.

Story Playback

The user can select any one of the gallery icons 631, 633 by hapticcontact with the touchscreen 606 at the on-screen location of theselected gallery icon 631/633. In response to such selection, automatedsequential playback of the corresponding set of ephemeral messages orsnaps in the selected story is performed by the client device 102 on thetouchscreen 606. Such automated sequential playback of the selectedstory consists of:

-   -   displaying on the touchscreen 606 the content or media payload        of a first one of the ephemeral messages for a corresponding        display duration (e.g., a default value of five seconds for        photo-based messages and a maximum value of 10 seconds for        video-based snaps), in this example embodiment temporarily        replacing the map GUI 612 on the touchscreen 606 with a        full-screen replay of the relevant snap;    -   at expiry of the display duration, displaying the content of the        next snap/message for its display duration; and    -   thus progressing in sequence through all of the ephemeral        messages in the selected story until all of the snaps in the        story have been replayed or until the user selectively dismisses        the playback sequence.

In some embodiments, not all of the snaps in a particular story/galleryare necessarily included in the replay sequence. For example, if thereare many overlapping snaps (e.g., snaps showing substantially identicalcontent), some of those snaps are automatically skipped to keep acontinuous narrative and not repeat some sections of an event commonlycaptured by the different snaps. Instead, or in addition, the socialmedia server application 114 can in some embodiments be programmedautomatically to identify and curate overlapping or contemporaneoussnaps based on timestamp information associated with respective snaps.

In this example embodiment, the snaps automatically collected togetherin a replayable spike story or place story are arranged automatically tobe played back in chronological order based on respective timestamps(e.g., being played in sequence from oldest to newest or earliest postedto most recently posted). A benefit of such chronological playback isthat viewing of the story provides a user with sequentially arrangedviews of events transpiring at the relevant location. In some instances,however, a human curator may choose to rearrange snaps out ofchronological order, for example to improve the narrative flow of thestory. In other embodiments, the snaps may be played in reversechronological order, from newest to oldest.

It can thus be seen that the example map GUI 612 includes multiplelocation-based gallery icons in the example form of story icons 631, 633that are user-selectable to trigger playback of respective collectionsof ephemeral social media items, in this example embodiment beingrespective ephemeral stories consisting of respective sets of ephemeralmessages (also referred to in this description as “snaps”). In thisexample embodiment, each of the plurality of location-based storiesrepresented by the respective story icons 631, 633 may comprise mediacontent contributed by multiple different users.

Our Story and Publication of Ephemeral Messages to Our Story

The respective ephemeral stories are in this example embodiment compiledfrom ephemeral messages submitted by multiple users based at least inpart on geo-tagging of the respective snaps. Note that the ephemeralmessages made available for viewing via the map GUI 612 are in thisexample embodiment not limited to content provided by other users whoare members of an in-application social network of the user on whoseclient device 102 the map GUI 612 is generated. Instead, the socialmedia content to which the map GUI 612 allows access is in this exampleembodiment provided by snaps uploaded or submitted by any user to bepublicly accessible via the map GUI 612.

One aspect of the example map GUI 612 provides for the functionality forusers to submit social media content that is publicly viewable via themap GUI 612. Turning briefly to FIG. 7A, therein is shown an exampleembodiment of a destination selection interface 707 forming part of themap GUI 612 to provide a mechanism that gives the user a selectableoption to make a snap publicly viewable via the map GUI 612 uponcapturing of the snap.

In this example embodiment, snaps can be captured via the map GUI 612while the map viewport 621 is displayed (as seen in FIG. 6A) byoperation of a camera soft button 650 (FIG. 6A) forming part of the mapGUI 612. After capturing of photo or video content by operation of thecamera soft button 650, the captured media content is displayed on thetouchscreen 606 (FIG. 7A) together with the destination selectioninterface 707. In this example embodiment, the user can select one orboth destination options identified in FIG. 7A as “My Story” and “OurStory,” represented in FIG. 7A by respective radio buttons 714, 721. Byselecting the Our Story radio button 721 and thereafter selecting a“Send” soft button 728, the user can submit the snap over the network106 to the application server 112 with an indication that the snap isavailable for non-private publication via the map GUI 612. If the snapis not so marked by the user, for example being associated withselection of the My Story radio button 714 only, then the snap is notavailable for inclusion in any of the stories associated with the storyicons 631, 633 and is not available for inclusion in search results of alocation-based search via the map GUI 612, as described later herein.Snaps included only in the My Story gallery are available only tofriends of the user (e.g., members of the uploading user's socialnetwork). The My Story gallery is a per-user location-agnostic galleryof ephemeral messages available to friend users only, thus being anon-public or private gallery.

In other example embodiments described herein, the superset of ephemeralmessages made available by multiple users for public viewing via the mapGUI 612 is alternatively referred to as the “Live Story” or simply as a“Live” gallery. For the purposes of the description of exampleembodiments herein, “Live Story” and “Our Story” are thus to be read asbeing synonymous. In the present example embodiment, the compilationand/or surfacing of gallery icons 631, 633 and the rendering of theheatmap 625 are based exclusively on publicly available social mediacontent provided by snaps uploaded to Our Story. Calculation of metricsor attributes of social media activity upon which one or more aspects ofthe map GUI 612 are based (e.g., an unusualness or anomality metricindicating geo-temporal unusualness or anomality of social mediaactivity within respective geographical areas) is in this exampleembodiment likewise based exclusively on snaps uploaded to Our Story.

Visual Distinctions Between Story Icons for Different Story Types

Returning now to the visual distinctions or differences between thedifferent types of gallery icons 631, 633, it will be noted that eachgallery icon 631/633 in this example embodiment comprises a circulargraphical user interface element bearing a thumbnail image provided bythe one of the snaps contained in the respective story. Each place icon631, however, also includes an associated label 635 bearing a textindication of the associated place. In this example embodiment, thelabels 635 indicate the respective places of the place stories surfacedin the geographic window presently displayed in the example map 618 asbeing the Rockefeller Center, Bryant Park, and the Empire StateBuilding, respectively.

In other example embodiments, the visual distinctions between differenttypes of story icons may be provided in a different manner. FIG. 6B, forexample, shows another example embodiment of a map GUI 612 that isanalogous to the example embodiment of FIG. 6A, a major difference beingthat the visual distinction between place icons 631 and spike icons 633is provided at least in part by differently shaped thumbnail images. Inthe example of FIG. 6B, the thumbnails of the place icons 631 arerectangular, while the thumbnails of the spike icons 633 are circular.

The respective thumbnail images that are used for the spike icons 633are in the example embodiments of FIGS. 6A and 6B automatically selectedby the social media server application 114. In this instance, thethumbnail image for a spike icon 633 is automatically selected based onthe posting time of the respective snaps forming part of thecorresponding spike story, in this case being selected as a mostrecently posted snap in the relevant story. In other embodiments,automatic selection of the thumbnail image to be used in the spike icon633 can be based on selecting the earliest-posted ephemeral message/snapthat is still available for viewing as part of the spike story. Thethumbnail images for the place icons 631 (or for icons associated withother curated stories, such as event stories) can in some embodimentslikewise be selected automatically. In this embodiment, however, thethumbnail images for the place icons 631 can be selected from the snapsincluded in the corresponding story/gallery by a human operator via acontent management interface forming part of the social media serverapplication 114. Absent such an explicit designation of a particularsnap to be used for the thumbnail image, thumbnail selection may revertto an automatic default selection as described previously.

Differences Between Different Story Types Place Stories

Returning to FIG. 6A, the differences between the different types ofsocial media galleries or stories accessible via respective story icons631, 633 on the map GUI 612 will now be briefly discussed.

Place stories, represented by respective place icons 631, are socialmedia galleries for defined locations or places, typically being placesthat consistently have relatively large activity volumes (e.g., TimesSquare, Universal Studios, etc.). Note that, in this example embodiment,not all defined places are by default surfaced in the map GUI 612 byrespective place icons 631. Instead, the geo-anchored place stories aresurfaced based on the amount of activity (e.g., the raw number ofuploaded snaps) captured within a defined geographical area associatedwith the relevant place, as indicated by associated geo-tag data. Thisensures that places that regularly or always attract relatively largevolumes of snaps are identified as such on the map 618.

Defined places for which place icons 631 may be surfaced in the map GUI612 are in this example embodiment manually created by one or more humanoperators using a server-side gallery management system or contentmanagement system (CMS) 1224 provided by a server-side social mediaplatform system 1200 (FIG. 12). In this example embodiment, each definedplace has:

-   -   (a) an associated operator-defined polygon marking its        geographical boundaries, that specify a particular geographical        area for the place story;    -   (b) a thumbnail location or icon location, typically lying        within the associated polygon, that specifies the on-map        position at which the place icon 631 for a gallery or story        associated with that place is displayed in the map 618; and    -   (c) a name by which the place is identified. In the example        embodiment of FIG. 6A, this is the name that is displayed on the        associated label 635 of the place icon 631.        In other embodiments, such places and associated place stories        are automatically identified by historical snap volume. In some        such embodiments, the defined places and their associated        stories/galleries are created and curated automatically by        server-side procedures.

In some instances, each place story includes all of the snaps havinggeotag information indicating a geographic location lying within theassociated polygon. Selection of a particular place icon 631 (e.g., byclicking in a desktop application or by tapping on the touchscreen 606in the example embodiment of FIG. 6A) in such cases plays all the snapsfrom within the corresponding polygon. In this example embodiment, theCMS 1224 provides functionality to operators or administrators to curatethe collection of snaps associated with any operator-selected definedplace (e.g., a particular geographical area defined by the correspondingpolygon). The operator or one or more automated procedures can thus, forexample, delete individual snaps from the place story, or can selectindividual snaps for inclusion in the place story.

When snaps are played in response to selection of a place icon 631, thename of the place appears on-screen together with the replayed contentor payload of the respective snaps. As mentioned, in this exampleembodiment, the snap represented by a corresponding thumbnail within therelevant place icon 631 is played first, then the rest in time order.

Spike Stories

The unlabeled circular spike icons 633 are automatically surfaced forgeographical areas of unusually high activity, with the respectiveassociated spike stories or ad hoc galleries including unexpired snapswithin the associated geographical area. In the example embodiment ofFIG. 6A, all ad hoc galleries associated with spike icons 633 areunmoderated, so that selecting a spike icon 633 triggers automatedsequential replay of all of the snaps within a geographical areaassociated with the spike icon 633. In a particular example embodiment,the geographical area associated with the spike icon 633 includes allgeographical points located within a predefined radius of the on-maplocation of the selected spike icon 633.

Thus, clicking or tapping on the spike icon 633 plays all the snaps inthat cluster, showing the snap in the thumbnail first and then the restof the snaps in time order. Note, again, that the snaps clustered underthe common spike icon 633 are in this example uploaded by multipledifferent respective social media users to Our Story, and are uncuratedby moderators. In other embodiments, the stories collected under suchspike thumbnails may be curated.

Automated selection of spike icons 633 (and therefore of the associatedsocial media gallery, collection, or story) for surfacing in the map GUI612 is in this example embodiment based at least in part on calculationof respective anomality or unusualness metric values for differentgeographical areas. Thus, a higher level of unusualness or anomality ofuser activity in a particular geo-temporal space would in such instancesincrease the likelihood of a particular spike story being surfaced onthe map GUI 612 by display of a corresponding spike icon 633. Asmentioned, the anomality metric provides an indication of the level ofgeo-temporal unusualness or anomality of social media activity.Calculation of anomality metrics can in some embodiments comprisecalculating a level or percentage of difference between historicalactivity levels in a given area, and activity levels in a current timewindow. It will be appreciated that heat map coloration and contentsurfacing increases with an increase in positive anomality levels (i.e.,indicating unusually high social media activity). Also note that, insome embodiments, a social media activity metric upon which heat mapgeneration and/or content surfacing is based on a combination of factorsthat include an anomality metric. In a particular example embodiment,the social media activity metric is provided by a combination of a rawactivity metric and an anomality metric.

Instead, or in addition, human curators can, via the CMS 1224, also markspecific spike stories or clusters as “interesting,” thereby boostingthe unusualness or anomality score of the respective spike.

Note that, in the example embodiment described with reference to FIG.6A, different social media activity attributes or metrics are used forsurfacing of the place icons 631 and the spike icons 633 respectively.As discussed, spike icons 633 are in this example embodiment surfacedbased on anomality metric values, while place icons 631 are surfacedbased on raw snap volume. In other embodiments, surfacing of the placeicons 631 may also be based at least in part on associated anomalityvalues. Note that in some embodiments, various aspects of social mediasurfacing as described herein (including heatmap calculation andgeneration, story surfacing, etc.) are based on attributes other thananomality. For example, the heatmap 625 and story surfacing are in oneembodiment based on raw activity levels. Therefore, discussion herein ofaspects of the disclosure relating to informational overlays (such asthe heatmap 625) and content surfacing based on the anomality metric isto be read as, in other embodiments, being performed based on adifferent social media activity value, such as raw snap numbers in agiven time period, snap frequency, snap density, or the like.

Other Types of Stories or Ephemeral Social Media Galleries

Other embodiments can instead, or in addition, provide for social mediagallery types different from the place stories and the spike storiesdescribed with reference to FIGS. 6A and 6B. Each such different type ofgallery may be represented on the map 618 by a visually distinct type oficon or other user interface element.

One example embodiment provides for event galleries pertaining toparticular events occurring at a specific location. Such events caninclude, for example, concerts, festivals, sports events, or the like.These event galleries are in one embodiment created and curatedserver-side by human operators using the CMS 1224.

Some embodiments provide for surfacing on the map 618 story icons orthumbnails with respect to non-public snaps, e.g., snaps or stories thatare access-restricted based at least in part on social networkinformation. For example, individual stories uploaded by friend usersmay in some embodiments be represented on the map 618 by a respectiveicon or thumbnail. For example, the My Story of friend users may in someembodiments be directly accessible via the map 618. Such story icons arein some embodiments indicated by a respective friend icon or bitmoji 640located on the map 618 corresponding to the location at which thecorresponding story was generated. In other embodiments, each such userstory icon may be indicated on the map GUI 612 by a circular thumbnailanalogous to the previously described example story icons 631, 633.

Snap Submission to User-Selected Location-Based Stories

Another feature of the disclosure enables users to submit publiclyviewable snaps designated for inclusion in any and all Live Stories orephemeral galleries that might be happening at locations where the useris eligible to post, e.g., being geographically proximate to the currentlocation of the user as indicated by the associated client device 102.In this manner, the user can specify snaps for inclusion in placestories, event stories, or other location-based ephemeral social mediagalleries as discussed above.

FIGS. 7B and 7C show an example embodiment of a destination selectioninterface 707 that provides a mechanism for such destination selectionalternative to the example embodiment previously described withreference to FIG. 7A. The destination selection interface 707 of FIG. 7Bis displayed on the client device 102 in response to the user initiatinga snap submission flow, e.g., by capturing a snap.

The destination selection interface 707 of FIG. 7B is similar to that ofthe example embodiment of FIG. 7A, in that two different user-selectableuser interface elements in the form of respective radio buttons 714, 721are presented for posting a snap to a user-specific My Story (radiobutton 714) or to a publicly viewable Our Story (radio button 721). Adistinction between the destination selection interface 707 of FIG. 7Aand that of FIG. 7B is that the Our Story cell of FIG. 7B automaticallyexpands upon selection of the radio button 721 to show subtitles oflocal place stories and/or event stories to which the snap could besubmitted based on device location or the geo-tag of the associatedsnap.

FIG. 7C shows additional options presented as a result of selecting theOur Story radio button 721, which opens up a list showing the respectivelocal stories for which the snap is eligible. In this exampleembodiment, all suboptions are selected by default via respective radiobuttons 750. In other embodiments, separate selection of individualsuboptions may be required. If the user chooses to submit the snap withall of the options selected, that snap is automatically associated witheach of the selected suboptions as well as being made available forgeographically based viewing as part of Our Story, separate from anycurated location-based place or event gallery/story, as described above.

The user can deselect any particular suboptions by clicking or tappingon the corresponding default-selected radio button 750, as shown in FIG.7C, in which the lowermost one of the suboptions has been deselected. Ifall suboptions are deselected, the snap is not posted to any curatedlocation-based story, but is posted only to Our Story to be publiclyviewable via the map GUI 612, as described elsewhere herein.

Heatmap Considerations

As shown in FIG. 6A, the social media application map GUI 612 in thisexample embodiment includes a heat map layer overlaid on thegeographical map 618, thus providing the heatmap 625 that indicatesgeographical distribution of one or more attributes of user activitywithin the social media application. As discussed previously, theheatmap 625 indicates user activity levels with respect to postinggeotagged content that is publicly viewable (e.g., Live Stories/OurStory). Instead, or in addition, the heatmap 625 can in some embodimentsbe based on snaps that are available for viewing by the particular useron whose client device 102 the map GUI 612 is displayed, in which casethe heatmap 625 may differ from person to person depending on who gavethe viewer permission to see their snaps.

In this example embodiment, the map 618 is color-coded, with warmercolors corresponding to higher levels of unusualness, as indicated byhigher anomality metric values. Thus, in the map 618 illustrated in FIG.6A, the red areas of the heatmap 625 indicate those geographical areaswith snap clusters corresponding to the highest anomality metric values.Again, different metrics or attributes for generation of the heatmap 625may be used in other embodiments, for example being based on snapdensity (e.g., raw snap volume per unit area of the map 618).

In some embodiments, the map GUI 612 displays information pertaining tothe heatmap 625 differently at different magnification levels. Forexample, calculation of anomality metrics and consequent rendering ofthe heatmap 625 based thereon is in some embodiments performedseparately for each of a plurality of zoom levels. In addition,different sets of spike icons 633 may be surfaced at differentmagnification levels. In one example embodiment, the heatmap 625 may bedisplayed at a first zoom level without individual spike icons 633surfaced in the map GUI 612, while multiple gallery or story icons 631,633 are automatically surfaced in response to user-controlled zooming inon a particular portion of the map 618 shown at the first zoom level.

Anomality Metric Calculation

Some features of the map GUI 612 in this example embodiment provide forcalculating with respect to social media content an anomality metricthat quantifies geospatial anomality or unusualness of the social mediacontent, and for surfacing the social media content in the map GUI 612based on respective values for the anomality metric. In this exampleembodiment, respective collections of snaps associated with differentgeographical locations are ranked based at least in part oncorresponding anomality metric values, and a predetermined number of thecollections are automatically selected based on their anomality rankingsfor surfacing on the map GUI 612 with respective spike icons 633.Instead, or in addition, all spike stories with a positive anomalitymetric value (i.e., reflecting anomalously high, not low, activity)higher than a predefined threshold value can automatically be surfacedby the display of a corresponding spike icon 633. As described elsewhereherein, the calculation and display of heatmap information is in someembodiments based at least in part on anomality metric calculation.

Anomality metrics may in some embodiments be calculated for individualsocial media items. In this example embodiment, however, anomalitymetrics are calculated for collective user behavior. In particular,anomality metrics are calculated for multiple snaps (in this examplebeing respective geotagged social media submissions) based on acomparison between geo-temporal distribution of the multiple snaps andhistoric geo-temporal social media behavior in or around the relevantgeographic location.

Note that the calculation of anomality metrics is in this exampleembodiment time sensitive. Thus, the same volume of snaps in aparticular location may be identified as being anomalous at one time ofthe day but not at another time. For example, a certain level of socialmedia activity (here, posting of snaps to Our Story) at the Empire StateBuilding would be flagged as above-threshold anomalous at 4 AM, butwould not be thus identified as anomalous during daytime.

An aspect of the disclosure provides for determining one or moregeo-temporal attributes of social media activity by a processcomprising, for each of multiple social media postings, representing theposting as having a distribution in time and/or in space. In someembodiments, representing respective postings as having a geo-temporaldistribution comprises treating respective social media items as aprobability cloud, for example having a Gaussian distribution. Instead,or in addition, the method may comprise generating or extrapolating ahistorical model or historical representation of social media activitybased at least in part on a resampling procedure executed with respectto a multiplicity of historical geo-tagged social media items. In oneexample embodiment, the resampling procedure comprises a bootstrappingoperation.

In some embodiments, the representation of social media postings ashaving respective distributions in time and/or space is performed aspart of an operation to represent a geo-temporal reference profile ormodel for historical social media activity for a particular geographicalarea. Instead, or in addition, the representation of social mediapostings as having respective distributions in time and/or space may beperformed as part of a procedure to represent recent or near-live socialmedia activity in the particular geographical area. In such cases, thegeo-temporal reference profile and the representation of the recent ornear-live social media activity may be used in combination to identifywithin the geographical area one or more regions of interesting oranomalous social media activity, e.g., by calculating a geographicaldistribution of a quantified anomality metric based on differencesbetween the geo-temporal reference profile and the correspondingrepresentation of recent or near-live social media activity.

Dynamic Variation of Icon Size

Turning briefly to FIG. 6B, it will be seen that the map GUI 612illustrated therein provides an example embodiment of an aspect of thedisclosure that provides for automated variation in one or more visualattributes of user interface elements associated with respective socialmedia content based at least in part on a quantified attribute ofunderlying social media activity. In particular, the example embodimentof FIG. 6B provides for dynamic variation in the on-screen size ofrespective spike icons 633 based on respective anomality metric valuesfor the corresponding clusters or spike galleries. On-screen size of therespective spike icons 633 thus indicates a level of unusualness oranomality of the underlying social media activity. Worded differently,the size of a spike icon 633 represents how unusual it is for there tobe the relevant amount of activity in that spot, with a larger spikeicon 633 indicating a greater level of unusualness.

Instead, or in addition, a visual attribute (such as its on-screen size)of the place icons 631 may likewise be variable based on a correspondinganomality value. In the example embodiment of FIG. 6B, however, theon-screen size of the place icons 631 is variable based on snap volume,with a greater number of snaps included in any place story correspondingto a larger on-screen size of the associated place icon 631. Thus, it isintuitively intelligible from the example screenshot shown in FIG. 6Bthat the Universal Studios story has a greater number of snaps than theVenice Boardwalk story.

Location Sharing and User Icons User Location Display

As mentioned previously, the map GUI 612 includes a graphicalrepresentation of associated locations of the user associated with theclient device 102 and/or other users, each user being represented by arespective user icon or friend icon (for users who are members of anin-application social graph associated with the viewing user), in theillustrated embodiments being in the form of respective bitmojis 640. Inthis example embodiment, a user of the social media platform will not besharing their location if they have never interacted with the map GUI612. The first time the user interacts with the map GUI 612, the user istaken through an on-boarding flow which allows for the setting ofindividual location sharing preferences.

Regardless of whether the user has selected to show their location toanyone, the user can see their own current location on the map at alltimes, and, if the user's bitmoji 640 is no longer in view, snap back toit, causing the map focus to re-center on the user location. FIG. 8Ashows an example embodiment in which the viewing user's location isindicated by a custom user-selected or user-generated user interfaceelement in the form of the user's bitmoji 640.

Location sharing preferences can be changed from the graphical userinterface of FIG. 8A. In this embodiment, changes to location sharingpreferences can be affected by (a) entering an invisible mode in whichthe user's location is not visible by any other user (also referred toherein as Ghost Mode), and (b) changing default location sharingsettings and/or respective settings for different friend users and/orgroups of friend users.

Location sharing can be turned off or on from within the map GUI 612,thereby to enter or exit Ghost Mode. In this embodiment, Ghost Mode canbe toggled on/off via a map pin icon 808 in the top right (see FIG. 8A).When location sharing is off (i.e., when in Ghost Mode), the user'slocation is no longer displayed in the map GUI 612 on other user'sclient devices 102. The user can still, however, see his/her location inthe map GUI on his/her own device. When in Ghost Mode, a ghost icon (notshown) slowly pulses in the top right of the screen in replacement ofthe map pin icon 808.

Note that the Ghost Mode functionality described herein is to bedistinguished from turning off location services on a mobile userdevice. Thus, when Ghost Mode is turned on, the device location servicesof the client device 102 are still functioning, so that the userlocation can still be determined and displayed on the map GUI 612 of theuser's own device 102, with social media content captured in Ghost Modestill being geo-tagged.

When the user turns on Ghost Mode after previously being present on themap, the user's bitmoji 640 disappears within seconds from otherpeople's maps. When in Ghost Mode, the user can still see anyone on themap who has chosen to share their location with the user.

If the user selects their own bitmoji 640, a user bubble or user panel816 is launched at the bottom of the touchscreen 606, enabling the userto access location sharing preferences via a settings soft button 824.The user panel 816 further includes a location-agnostic collection iconin the form of a My Story icon 832. The My Story icon 832 is selectableto launch replay of the viewing user's My Story, being alocation-agnostic collection of social media items (here, ephemeralsnaps) submitted by the user. Analogous to other location-agnostic GUIfeatures disclosed herein, location-agnostic in this context means thatthe collection of social media items playable via the My Story icon 832is collated and displayed without regard to any location constraint,thus being unaffected by geo-tagging information associated with therespective items, by the user's current location, or by the currentfocus of the map 618.

Location Sharing Preferences

Selecting the settings soft button 824 causes display in the map GUI 612of a location sharing preferences interface 840 (FIG. 8B) that, in thisexample embodiment, provides the user with options for specifying whowill get to see their location, and at what granularity. Default sharinggranularity options provided in this example embodiment include:

-   -   Precise, meaning in this embodiment is that the user's bitmoji        640 is displayed to friend users via their map GUIs 612 at the        user's actual location (e.g., as indicated by the location        services of the client device 102). In other words, the display        location and the actual location for the user is substantially        the same; and    -   City, meaning that the display location of the user's bitmoji        640 will be different from the actual location, but will be        located within a defined geographical region corresponding to        the current actual location. In this example embodiment, the        defined geographical region within which the user's location is        displayed is at a city level (e.g., Venice, Calif., London,        etc.).

When the city option is selected for a particular group of users or forparticular individuals, the user's bitmoji 640 will in this exampleembodiment be shown in the map GUI 612 generated on the user devices 102of the selected persons (or persons within the selected group) at arandom location within that city, and which will in this embodiment notchange if the user does not leave that city. FIG. 8C shows an example ofdisplay of a user bitmoji 640 in the interactive map 618 of the map GUI612 at such a city-level display granularity, in which the user bitmoji640 is shown at the random location in the city, together with anassociated label 860 specifying, broadly, the city in which the user islocated (in the illustrated example embodiment being Santa Monica).

Note that the features related to intentionally inaccurate display ofthe user's location has the effect that the user's location is displayeddifferently on, the one hand, an instance of the map GUI 612 generatedon their own device 102 (e.g., FIG. 8A, in which the display location ofthe user bitmoji 640 corresponds to the actual location of the user)and, on the other hand, instances of the map GUI 612 generated on theuser devices 102 of friend users having a non-precise viewing permission(e.g., labeled city-level display such as that illustrated in FIG. 8C,in which the display location of the user bitmoji 640 differs from theuser's actual location). In this example embodiment, the displaylocation of the user bitmoji 640 at a non-precise regional level (e.g.,at city-level) is the same across different friend user devices 102, sothat different friends see the user bitmoji 640 as being displayed atthe same random location. In other embodiments, the display location canbe different for different friend users.

It will be seen that this aspect of the disclosure thus provides for amethod comprising: determining a location of a user device associatedwith the user of a social media application; determining a user-selectedlocation display setting that specifies a manner in which the userlocation is to be displayed on a map-based GUI displayed to other usersof the social media application, the location display setting beingselected from a predetermined set of location display settings thatcorrespond to display of the user location at different respectivelevels of precision on the map-based GUI; and representing the user onthe map-based GUI of the friend user by rendering a UI elementassociated with the user at a location on the map-based GUI inaccordance with the selected location display setting.

The defined geographic region is in the example embodiment of FIG. 8B asbeing available only at city level. In other embodiments, different oradditional levels of display granularity can be provided, for exampleidentifying different levels of cartographically and/or politicallydefined geographical regions, such as county-, city-, town-, orneighborhood level. Note that, in the example embodiment of FIG. 8B,Ghost Mode can not only be toggled at a general level (via a Ghost Modetoggle 841), but can be selected for groups of users or for individualfriend users via a group selector 842 and a friend selector 843respectively. In some embodiments, the displayed user location remainsfixed at the randomly selected display position until the user device102 leaves the defined geographic area. Thus, a new display location isin some embodiments determined each time the user enters the relevantarea.

As mentioned, the user can also via the location sharing preferencesinterface 840 select different groups of other users to which hislocation will be displayed, and may in some embodiments specifydifferent display attributes for the different respective groups or fordifferent respective individuals. In this example, audience optionsavailable via the group selector 842 include: Best Friends, Friends, andCustom (which is an individual-level whitelist of people specified bythe friend selector 843).

If Friends are selected, all new people added to the user's friends listwill automatically be able to see their location, consistent with thegranularity level selected in the group selector 842 (e.g., beingselectable as precise or at city level in the group selector 842 of FIG.8B). If they are already sharing with the user, they appear withinseconds on the user's map.

In this example embodiment, the location sharing relationships aretwo-way—if John is sharing his location with Jack, Jack will not seeJohn on his map 618 unless he has added him as a friend. The user cannotadd anyone who is not a friend to the Custom section. The user canfurthermore, via the friend selector 843 43, define more specializedpermissions for specific people, which override the default setting

When viewing the map GUI 612, the user will thus be able to see thelocations of all his/her friends that have shared their location withhim/her on the map 618. As discussed, each user is in this exampleembodiment represented by a bitmoji 640. If the friend does not have abitmoji 640, a profile picture within a generic UI element is shown. Ifno profile pictures available for a particular friend, a default icon(e.g., a blank profile) is displayed at the corresponding location.

Friend-Level Access Via Friend Icon/Friend Carousel

In this example embodiment, friend-level access to friend informationand friend-specific content is enabled via the interactive map 618. Suchfriend-level access is distinguished from location-based accessmechanisms such as a location-based search or snap collectionsaccessible via respective geo-anchored story icons 631, 633. One exampleof such a friend-level access mechanism is a friend bubble or friendpanel 909 (FIG. 9A that pops up at the bottom of the screen when theuser taps on the bitmoji 640 of a displayed friend. The friend panel 909and a friend carousel 918 of which it forms part, provide a number offunctionalities to the user.

In the example embodiment of FIG. 9A, the friend panel 909 displayssummary information about the user. As illustrated in FIG. 9A, thefriend panel 909 forms part of a friend carousel 918 that enables theuser selectively to switch focus between different friends. Note that,in addition to the main friend panel 909, the friend carousel 918includes a next friend panel 909 whose left edge is exposed on theright-hand side of the touchscreen 606.

The user can swipe between friends on the map 618 via the friendcarousel 918. In this example embodiment, switching between friends isachieved by swiping the current focus friend panel 909 left or right.Swiping left or right on the friend panel 909 brings into view the nextor previous friend panel 909, as the case may be. In this exampleembodiment, swiping to a particular friend automatically centers the map618 on the bitmoji 640 of that friend. Note that all of the friends forwhom the user has viewing permission should be available as part of thefriend carousel 918, not just those friends who are visible in the mapviewport 621. Friends are in this embodiment ordered in the carousel byupdate recency.

The friend panel 909 also includes a chat soft button 918 that can beselected to launch a chat interface 950 (see FIG. 9B) in temporaryreplacement of the interactive map 618, but without leaving the map GUI612. In other embodiments, tapping on the friend bitmojis 640 causes afly-out menu to be displayed, with initiation of a chat session beingone of the selectable options.

In this example embodiment, selection of the chat soft button 918 causesthe chat interface 950 to pop up in a modal over the map 618, whichmodal can be swiped down to dismiss. Incoming chat notifications can beopened in this modal view.

The friend carousel 918 additionally provides location-agnostic accessto social media content provided by respective friend users via the mapGUI 612. In this example embodiment, such location-agnostic access isavailable via a location-agnostic collection icon in the form of arespective Friend Story icon 932 displayed in the friend panel 909. TheFriend Story icon 932 is selectable to trigger replay of a correspondingstory (in this example being that the My Story of the selected friend)comprising a series of snaps uploaded by the corresponding friend user,without any location constraint on the replayed material. In otherwords, no location information has any effect on the availability andidentity of these snaps. The friend carousel 918, via the Friend Storyicon 932 thus provides a link from the user location to social mediacontent that is not located anywhere, in that the snaps or stories thusavailable will be the same irrespective of the friend user's currentlocation, the current focus of the map viewport 621, or the currentlocation of the viewing user. Worded differently, this and otherlocation-agnostic access features of the map GUI 612 provide for accessto friend content via the map GUI 612 in a manner similar to that whichwould be provided by a GUI that is not map-based. Thus, in one exampleembodiment, selecting a particular friend bitmoji 640 causes display ofa menu or user interface element (in the example embodiment of FIG. 9A,the respective Friend Story icon 932 of the selected user) through whichavailable snaps and/or stories of the target user can be viewed, withoutregard to any geo-tagging information of the respective snaps/stories.

As will be described below, certain aspects of the search mechanismsprovided by the map GUI 612 similarly provide access tolocation-agnostic social media content of friend users via the map GUI612.

Search Functionalities

In addition to viewing clustered stories by selection of the story icons631, 633, the user can access snaps by use of one or more searchfunctionalities provided by the map GUI 612. In this example embodiment,the map GUI 612 provides a number of different search mechanisms throughwhich the user can access targeted social media content, the searchmechanisms including:

-   -   a search bar 665 (FIG. 6A) that enables the entry of a text        string search query to cause display of search results        comprising a list of entries satisfying the search query (FIG.        10C);    -   location-based searches to search for social media content based        at least in part on their respective geo-tag information. In        some embodiments, these location-based search mechanisms        include:        -   a location-targeted search triggered by clicking or tapping            at a target location on the map 618 (illustrated            schematically in FIGS. 11A and 11B); and        -   a friend-based location search to locate social media            content based at least in part on the location of a selected            friend user; and    -   one or more friend-level access mechanisms that provide access        to social media content of the selected friend users. In a        particular embodiment, these include:        -   access to location-agnostic friend content via the user            icons, friend carousel 918 and/or individual friend panels            909; and        -   location-agnostic collection icons (e.g., Friend Story icons            932, as described below with reference to FIGS. 10A-10C)            displayed in association with respective friend users in a            list of search results.

Search Bar Mechanism

Two example embodiments of operation of a search mechanism provided viathe search bar 665 is illustrated schematically with reference to FIG.10A and FIGS. 10B-10D respectively. Discussing first the exampleembodiment of FIG. 10A, it will be seen that selection of the search bar665 (FIG. 6A) causes display of a drop-down search interface 1010 thatincludes a search box 1020 for entering a text-based search query, and anumber of lists of suggestions 1030 in respective user interface cellsdisplayed below the search box 1020. In the example embodiments of FIGS.10B-10D, individual suggestion cells correspond to individual snaps,stories, places, and/or friends. As can be seen with reference to acorresponding screenshot of the search interface 1010 in FIG. 10C, theparticular cells displayed as part of the suggestions 1030 aredynamically filtered in response to text entry in the search box 1020,to include only stories, friends, or places that satisfy the enteredsearch query.

When the user clicks on a selected cell in the list of suggestions 1030,the map GUI 612 in this example automatically navigates with a fly-overto the corresponding point on the map 618. If the selected cell is for aspike collection or cluster (also referred elsewhere herein as a spikestory), the snaps in the corresponding story starts playingsequentially. If the selected cell is a friend cell, the map viewport621 navigates to the corresponding friend bitmoji 640, and theassociated a friend panel 909 pops up, as the case may be. In theexample embodiment of FIG. 10A, at least some aspects of the displaysearch results or suggestions 1030 are location-agnostic, returningsearch results from any location, without any constraint based on theuser current location or the display area of the map 618. In particular,the “My Friends” section of the suggestions 1030 in the embodiment ofFIG. 10A includes any friends for whom the user has viewing permission.

Thus, features provided by the search interface 1010 of FIG. 10Ainclude:

-   -   Searching for a location anywhere in the world, and navigating        to it by selecting the corresponding suggestion cell; and    -   Viewing, before typing, suggestions 1030 of interesting social        media content, and, while or after typing, suggestions that        dynamically satisfies the search query. In the example        embodiment of FIG. 10A, these include:        -   Friends of the user, in section 1032, identified as a “My            Friends”;        -   Trending place stories, event stories, and/or spike stories            or clusters, irrespective of location, identified as            “Trending Locations” in section 1034;        -   Nearby place stories, event stories, and/or spike stories or            clusters, in section 1036, identified as “Popular Nearby.”

Note that the “My Friends” and “Trending Locations” in the exampleembodiment of FIG. 10A shows friends/content from all over the world,not just friends/content that shows up in your viewport. All friends areshown section 1032 in order of how recently seen. In contrast, the“Popular Nearby” entries have a location restraint, being in thisexample embodiment limited to stories falling within the area of thecurrent map viewport 621. In other embodiments, the location restraintis based on the user's current location, as indicated by the clientdevice 102.

The “Trending Locations” and “Popular Nearby” stories are rankedglobally according to a metric based on the underlying social mediaactivity, in this example embodiment being ranked according to thenumber of unique users contributing to a story. In some embodiments, thetrending locations may be ranked according to anomality metrics orinterestingness scores. In yet further embodiments, surfacing of storiesin the search interface 1010 can be based on raw snap volume, snapdensity over time, rate of increase in snap volume, or the like.

When users click on an entry in the search box dropdown, the map GUInavigates with a fly-over to the corresponding point on the map 618,after which the story/spike cluster starts playing, or friend panel 909pops up, as the case may be.

Searching functionality available via other example embodiments of themap GUI 612 will now be described with reference to FIGS. 10B-10D. FIGS.10C and 10D show behavior of the search interface during and aftertyping by the user in a search box forming part of the search interface1010. It will appreciated that items listed during and after typing arelimited to items (e.g., friends, places, events, or stories) thatsatisfy the search string entered thus far. Each one of a number ofdifferent sections of suggestions 1030, in which respective entries areranked by priority, will be described separately below. Differentembodiments may employ different combinations of these suggestionssections.

FRIENDS ON THE MAP—This section, indicated by reference numeral 1040 inFIG. 10B, shows friends that are that are on the map 618. In thisexample embodiment, the displayed friends are limited to friends who arevisible in the map viewport 621 (i.e., in the geographical area of themap 618 displayed immediately before launching the search interface1010). In other embodiments, the displayed friends include any friendswho are currently available somewhere on the map 618. In this example,the top four friends are listed, followed by a View More button ifnecessary. The user can tap on a friend cell to locate them on the map618.

Each friend cell includes, if available, a location-agnostic collectionicon in the form of a Friend Story icon 932. Any of the Friend Storyicons 932 can be tapped to view the corresponding friend story modally.Viewing of a story comprises sequential replay of the series of snapsincluded in the story. Each Friend Story icon 932 in this exampleembodiment comprises a user interface element in the form of a circularthumbnail to the right of the respective friend name. In this example,the stories thus playable include any of the friend's stories, withoutregard to any location information that may be associated with the storyor with any snaps forming part of the story, thus being in accordancewith the disclosed feature of map-based access to location-agnosticsocial media content of a target friend user. In other embodiments,however, the stories surfaced for replay are limited to those geo-taggedon the current map view.

In addition to the Friend Story icon 932, each friend entry in thisexample embodiment comprises an associated bitmoji, name, last seentimestamp, and associated location indicator. The listed friends areordered by update recency.

ALL FRIENDS—This section, identified by reference numeral 1050 in FIG.10C is similar to the My Friends section 1032 of FIG. 10A, in that itsurfaces friends that satisfy the search string, irrespective of whetheror not that friend is present on the map. In addition to a My Story icon832 were available, a user name and a score indicator is shown assubtext for each friend. In this example embodiment, the indicated scoreis a user score that is used throughout the application to represent auser's engagement level. In some embodiments, as previously described,tapping on a friend cell navigates the map to focus on the displaylocation of that friend. In this example embodiment, however, tapping oncell launches the chat interface 950 modally (see FIG. 9B). Dismissingthe chat brings the user back to the search interface 1010.

TOP STORIES—This section, identified by reference numeral 1042 in theexample embodiment of FIG. 10B, showcases the top stories from aroundthe world (selected by curators daily or ranked by quality score orviewer volume).

NEARBY STORIES—This section, identified by reference numeral 1044 inFIG. 10B, shows interesting event clusters nearby or within theviewport. These will be ranked by descending quality score. In someembodiments, the nearby stories can be ranked according to the anomalitymetric, or according to a ranking score based at least in part on theanomality metric. Thus, it will be seen that some embodiments of thedisclosure provide for social media application search interface thatautomatically surfaces ephemeral galleries based at least in part ongeographical proximity between the user device and geolocationsassociated with the respective galleries. Ranking of the surfacedephemeral galleries may be based at least in part on respectiveanomality metrics.

LOCATIONS—This section, identified by reference numeral 1060 in FIG.10D, shows all points of interest (POIs) or places (as defined by theCMS 1224) that matches the search query. In some embodiments, surfacingand ranking of locations satisfying the search string includes locationswith stories available for replay, i.e. having an associated placestory. Thus, for example, in the screenshot of FIG. 10D, Blue Lagoon isranked above Blue Bottle Coffee because it has an associatedcollaborative story, even though the latter is closer to the location ofthe user device 102.

If the place has a story, a story icon 1063 in the form of a thumbnailis in this example embodiment shown before the title (see FIG. 10D).Tapping the story icon 1063 (or anywhere in the cell) centers the placeon the map and auto-plays the story. If the place does not have athumbnail, tapping the cell in this example embodiment reverts to themap viewport 621, focusing on the relevant location, without playing anystory. Fallback prioritization is by proximity to current viewport(after POIs and/or places with playable stories have been prioritized tothe top).

Location-Based Search Via Target Location on Map

As an alternative to entering a text-based search query, the user caninitiate a location-based search by selecting a target location on themap 618 separate from any of the story icons 631, 633, friend bitmojis640, or any other selectable user interface element overlaid on the map618. In this manner, the map 618 itself provides an interactive searchmechanism. An example embodiment of such a location-based search isillustrated schematically with reference to FIGS. 11A and 11B.

In response to the user's clicking or tapping on a particular locationon the map viewport 621, a search is conducted for social media itemswithin a predefined radius from the click- or tap location. In thisexample embodiment, such a location-based search does not return a listof graphical user interface elements that are selectable to playrespective items, but instead automatically triggers automatedsequential replay of items returned as a result of the search.

In the example embodiment of FIG. 11A, selection of a target location1110 is by haptic contact at the selected on-screen position, consistingof tapping the touchscreen 606 with a single finger 1120 of the user.Thus, tapping on a non-thumbnail place on the map 618 will radiate out asearch around the target location 1110, as illustrated schematically inFIG. 11B by a substantially circular geographical search area 1130centered on the target location 1110. Such a location-based search canhave a predefined search radius from the tap location. If any snaps arefound in the geographical search area 1130, they are automaticallyplayed back in sequence, as described before. If there are no snaps inthat area, the search bounces back to show no results found.

In some embodiments, such a location-based search is dynamicallyrestrained by a predefined search limit, so that the size of thegeographical search area 1130 can be variable in different instances. Insome embodiments, the search limit for a location-based search is apredefined maximum size defined by the number of snaps located in thesearch. In an example embodiment, the geographical search area 1130 willthus radiate out from the target location 1110 to a point where apredefined maximum number of snaps are found, after which all snaps fromthat area will start playing in sequence. Worded differently, apredefined search metric or limit is provided in some embodiments todetermine when the search should be stopped. As mentioned, the searchlimit may be an upper limit to the number of snaps located, with thesearch radiating out no further from the target location once the numberof snaps located reaches the upper limit. Thus, it will be seen thatdifferent location-based searches can return snaps from geographicalsearch areas 1130 that differ in size, depending on the density of snapsin the vicinity of the target location 1110.

In some example embodiments, such a location-triggered social mediacontent search (i.e., a search for social media content uploaded byother users triggered by a user click/tap at the target location 1110that does not coincide with a story icon 631/633 or friend bitmoji 640)can be configured automatically to exclude social media items includedin one or more of the clustered collections represented by respectiveicons 631, 633 on the map. Thus, in this embodiment, the social mediaapplication will not include in search results or replay any snaps thatare included in any of the place stories or any of the spike stories onthe map.

As mentioned, initiating a location-based search by clicking or tappingon a non-thumbnail area in this example embodiment triggers automaticreplay of snaps located within a geographical search area 1130 centeredon the target location 1110. In other embodiments, such a search inputby target location selection may cause display of a graphical userinterface element listing the snaps found within the search area, forexample including a thumbnail and username for each found snap. The usercan thereafter select from the list of found snaps those which are to bereplayed.

In some embodiments, the snaps located in a location-based search areplayed back in chronological sequence, as indicated by respectivetimestamp data indicating when the corresponding snap was uploaded. Insome example embodiments, a sequencing operation may be performed on thesubset of snaps identified in a location-based search, so that thereplay sequence does not strictly follow chronological sequence. In oneexample embodiment, an improved sequence for media playback in responseto a user tap on the map viewport is achieved by a sequence ofoperations comprising (a) finding all snaps in a fixed radius of the tappoint, (b) doing geo-temporal clustering of those snaps, (c) sortingthose clusters by distance from tap, and (d) sorting within the clustersby time.

In some embodiments, the location-based search is by default performedfor material uploaded within a predefined default time period. Forexample, the location-based search may identify all snaps that (a) arelocated within the geographical search area 1130; (b) are not includedin any story represented by a corresponding story icon 631/633; and (c)have timestamps within a default preceding ephemeral timespan. Thus, inan example embodiment in which a snap is by default available for 24hours via the map GUI 612, the location-based search may by defaultlocate snaps having timestamps indicating upload dates within the past24 hours.

In some embodiments, however, the preceding period with respect to whichthe search is performed is selectively variable by the user. Forexample, the search period timespan is automatically variable inresponse to an interval for which a search input gesture or signal isprovided by the user.

In embodiments in which the map GUI 612 is displayed on a touchscreen606 (as is the case in the example embodiment of FIGS. 11A and 11B), ageo-temporal search is triggered by haptic contact at a particularlocation within the map 618, with the search being geographicallycentered on a target location 1110 defined by the on-screen position ofthe haptic contact. In some embodiments, an input interval indicated bythe time period for which the haptic contact is maintained with thetouchscreen 606 automatically determines the preceding timespan withrespect to which the search is carried out. In such a case, for example,a tap on the screen triggers a geo-temporal search for material withinthe default time period, while a press and hold automatically triggers ageo-temporal search for material within an extended time period which islonger than the default time period. In one example embodiment, a tapinput triggers a geo-temporal search with a 12-hour timespan, while atap and hold triggers a geo-temporal search with a 24-hour timespan. Inother embodiments, the extended timespan is variable in graduatedfashion, so that multiple different search timespans are selectablebased on the press-and-hold interval. Note that the operations describedwith reference to the haptic contact on the touchscreen 606 can beperformed analogously by a click-and-hold input in instances where userinput is provided by a cursor control mechanism, such as a mouse.

Instead, or in addition, the search radius (i.e., the size of thegeographical search area 1130) may be variable based on the length ofthe input interval, with longer input intervals (e.g., a longer holdperiod) corresponding to a larger search radius.

Location-Based Searching Via Friend Location or for Friend Content

Some embodiments of the map GUI 612 provide functionalities forsearching for social media content with a location restraint based atleast in part on a location attribute of the selected friend user. Thelocation restraint may, for example, operate to limit the search tosocial media content geo-tagged within a predefined geographic rangecentered on a geographic location of the selected friend user.

For example, the user can in some example embodiments trigger alocation-based search with a location constraint based on the locationof a selected friend user. In one example embodiment, such alocation-based search with respect to a particular friend location canbe performed in a manner analogous to that described below with respectto a general location-based search as described with reference to FIGS.11A, 11B, and 13A-13D. The various considerations and features discussedfor general location-based searching can thus in some exampleembodiments apply, mutatis mutandis, to location-based searching basedon friend location.

In one example embodiment, a friend-targeted location-based search canbe triggered by user interaction with the friend icon or bitmoji 640 ofa target friend user. In such an example embodiment, a click or tapinput on the bitmoji 640 surfaces a menu or friend panel 909, while apress-and-hold input or a click-and-hold input automatically triggers alocation-based search such as that previously described, the search areabeing centered on the location of the selected user. Instead, or inaddition, a menu or friend panel 909 launched responsive to selection ofthe bitmoji 640 in some embodiments include a selectable user interfaceelement to trigger a search for social media content targeted with alocation constraint defined with respect to the location of the selecteduser.

In some embodiments, the friend-based social media content searchadditionally has an owner constraint such that the search results arelimited to social media items of the selected friend user. In otherembodiments or instances, the friend-based social media content searchmay search for content including but not limited to that uploaded orprovided by the selected friend user.

Other example embodiments in which social media content searches via themap GUI 612 has a location constraint based on a selected friend user'slocation include instances where (while map focus is on a selected user)search results are limited to items currently displayed in the mapviewport 621. The result section 1030 in the embodiment of FIG. 10Bprovides one such example. In other instances, the map GUI 612 providesfor the option of searching for content exclusively contributed by aselected target user. Responsive to triggering such a friend-specificsearch, the user can change the focus and/or zoom level of the mapviewport 621, with social media items surfaced in the map viewport 621being limited to social media content posted by the target friend user.

As described with reference to some example embodiments herein, a socialmedia application executing on the user device in some embodimentsgenerates a map GUI having a map viewport on which displayed geographiclocations of at least some friend users may differ from the actualgeographic locations of those users. In some embodiments, thefriend-centered location-based social media content search may becentered on the actual geographic location of the selected friend user,being distinct from a displayed location of the selected friend user onthe map GUI. In other embodiments, the search may be performed withreference to the displayed location of the selected friend user.

Overview of Map GUI Functionality

In use, the map GUI 612 thus surfaces different types of location-basedstories, which the user can view from the map 618. In the exampleembodiment of FIGS. 6A and 6B, the user can access via the map GUI 612snaps posted to Our Story from anywhere in the world. This can beachieved by navigating to different geographical areas displayed withinthe map viewport 621. In particular, the displayed geographical area canbe changed by zooming in or zooming out, and by moving the focus area ofthe map viewport 621. In the example embodiment of FIGS. 6A and 6B, inwhich the map GUI 612 is provided on a touchscreen 606, zooming in andzooming out can be achieved by haptic gestures in the form of apinch-out or a pinch-in haptic input. Movement of the map 618 within themap viewport 621, so as to change the displayed geographical area, isachieved by a haptic dragging gesture at any point on the map 618.

In this example embodiment, the map 618 is not selectively rotatable bythe user, having a fixed default orientation relative to the touchscreen606. In other embodiments, the map 618 may have a fixed orientationrelative to the Earth. In some embodiments, the map 618 is selectivelyrotatable, e.g., with all map content rotating around a fixed anchor.

As discussed at length above, in any particular map viewport 621, thedisplayed information can include:

-   -   the color-coded heatmap 625, visually displaying the        geographical distribution of snap uploading activity within a        preceding window (for example the default snap lifetime, in this        example 24 hours), allowing the user readily to identify places        with more or less activity. This enables the user more        effectively to target location-based searches via the map GUI        612. In some embodiments, the color-coded heatmap 625 is shown        only at a highest level of magnification. In this example        embodiment, however, the color-coded heatmap 625 is rendered at        all zoom levels.    -   Thumbnail icons 631, 633 for surfaced content forming part of        ephemeral galleries or stories. As described previously, these        include in this example embodiment place icons 631 for        geo-anchored stories associated with particular labeled        locations, and spike icons 633 for location-based stories        surfaced based on anomalous levels of geo-spatial activity.    -   Friend bitmojis 640 of friend users most frequently contacted by        the user who is logged in to the social media client application        104 executing on the client device 102 and by which the map GUI        612 is generated.

In some embodiments, no spike icons 633 are shown at some levels ofmagnification. In a particular example embodiment, no spike icons 633are shown at the original zoom level at which the map GUI 612 loads bydefault. In such an example, only the heatmap 625, friend bitmojis 640,and a number of place icons 631 are displayed on the map 618 at theoriginal zoom level. As the user zooms in, spike icons 633 are surfaced,representing respective clusters of activity.

It will be appreciated that different icons 631, 633 are surfaced atdifferent zoom levels. In this example embodiment, the map GUI 612displays no more than a predefined maximum number of place icons 631 andno more than a predefined maximum number of spike icons 633 in anyparticular view. For example, at any zoom level, the top three placestories (ranked by snap volume) are surfaced by displaying respectiveplace icons 631 in the map viewport 621. Likewise, at any zoom level,the top three spike stories (ranked by anomality or unusualness metricvalue) are surfaced by displaying respective spike icons 633 in the mapviewport 621.

In addition to viewing stories surfaced in the map 618 by respectivestory icons 631, 633, the user can use one or more of the searchfunctionalities described above to access any snap uploaded to Our Storyand whose gallery participation timer or availability lifetime has notyet expired.

It will be appreciated that the map GUI 612 is dynamic, in that theinformation displayed therein changes dynamically with time. New snapsmay continually be uploaded to Our Story, while the underlying socialmedia items upon which surfacing of the story icons 631, 633 andgeneration of the heatmap 625 is based can further continually changedue to the expiration of the availability of snaps. In this exampleembodiment, however, the information displayed in the map viewport 621is not dynamically updated during display of any particular geographicalarea. Instead, changing of the focus of the map viewport 621 isassociated with receiving updated information with respect to the storyicons 631, 633 and heatmap 625 from the application server 112.

It is a benefit of the map GUI 612 as described with the exampleembodiments that it provides for user-friendly and intuitive interactionwith geographically distributed social media content. The provision ofdifferent types of social media galleries (e.g., representedrespectively by spike icons 633 and place icons 631) provides a systemthat automatically surfaces only content which is most relevant foruser-selection in such a manner that the very large number of individualsocial media items that may be available via a social media platform isreduced in complexity, and that allows selection of targeted content inwhich the user might be interested.

Example System

FIG. 12 shows an example embodiment of a social media platform system1200 configured to provide a map-based graphical user interface for asocial media application, such as the map GUI 612 described withreference to FIGS. 6A-11B. The system 1200 and its associated componentscan in some embodiments be provided server-side, for example by thesocial media application server system 108 (FIG. 1). In such instances,the respective components of the system 1200 can be provided byexecution of the social media server application 114 on the applicationserver 112. In other embodiments, one or more components of the system1200 are provided client-side, for example by execution of the socialmedia client application 104 on a respective client device 102 (FIG. 1).In yet further embodiments, the system 1200 is provided collaborativelyserver-side and client-side, the application server 112 and a clientdevice 102 in communication therewith being configured to provide therespective system components by execution of the social media clientapplication 104 on the client device 102 and by execution of the socialmedia server application 114 on the application server 112.

The system 1200 includes a map engine 1208 to generate the map GUI 612,including the location-based social media information displayed in themap GUI 612. Thus, the map engine 1208 is configured to generate or tofacilitate generation of the map 618 (FIG. 6A) in the map viewport 621of the client device 102. To this end, the map engine 1208 can beconfigured to surface and cause display of particular story icons 631,633, to identify and cause display of respective friend bitmojis 640, togenerate heatmap information and display or cause display of a heatmap625 overlaid on the map 618, and to perform operations that provideother related functionalities of the map GUI 612 described withreference to FIGS. 6A-11B.

The system 1200 further includes a replay mechanism 1216 configured tocause automated sequential replay of the content of a set of socialmedia items or snaps on the client device 102. The replay mechanism 1216can thus cause sequential display of all of the snaps in a selectedplace story or spike story, as described previously herein. In someembodiments, the replay mechanism 1216 may provide for transmission ofthe set of snaps to the client device 102 in response to selection of acorresponding story icon 631/633. In some such embodiments, informationautomatically transmitted by the application server 112 to the clientdevice 102 upon initial rendering of a map view in the map GUI 612 caninclude a first few (e.g., 2 or 3) snaps for each of the story icons631, 633 surfaced in the map viewport 621. Upon selection of aparticular story icon 631/633, the first few snaps in the story areimmediately available for replay, with the subsequent snaps in the storybeing pulled from the application server 112 during presentation of thefirst few snaps.

The system 1200 also includes a content management system (CMS) 1224, asmentioned earlier. In this example embodiment, the CMS 1224 provides anadministration interface enabling operators to manage content, forexample by defining various attributes of different place and/or eventstories. The CMS 1224 in this example embodiment also includes thecollection management system 204 (FIG. 2) as previously described. TheCMS 1224 is configured for the automated or semiautomated compilation ofthe respective social media galleries or stories as previouslydescribed. This may include curation or moderation of respective storiesby use of a server-side curation interface 208 provided by the CMS 1224.

The system 1200 further includes a search engine 1233 configured toprovide search functionalities with respect to social media content viathe map GUI 612. In particular, the search engine 1233 in this exampleembodiment provides for user-directed searching both via the searchinterface 1010 (FIGS. 10A-10D) and via location-based searching bydirect selection of a target location on the map 618 (FIGS. 11A-11B).Automated operations which the search engine 1233 is configured orprogrammed to perform in some example embodiments are described ingreater detail below with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 13A-13D.

The system 1200 further includes a user location mechanism 1237configured to determine respective user locations, in this exampleembodiment indicated by the respective device locations, to determinefor each user the particular friend users who are viewable via the mapGUI 612, and to provide for display of associated user icons atcorresponding display locations. The user location mechanism 1237 insome embodiments comprise, as part of the server system 108, a userlocation datastore and an per-user access control list (ACL) that liststhe particular friend users viewable by each user. In some embodiments,the per-user ACL specifies respective viewing level granularity for eachviewable user. The user location mechanism 1237 in such exampleembodiments is additionally configured to determine and managerespective user display granularity. This includes calculatingnon-precise display locations for some users, and causing display of acorresponding user icons at the non-precise display locations.

Example Methods

The example methods that follow are in the respective embodimentsexecuted using system 1200 as described with reference to FIG. 12,employing the system architecture and environment described withreference to FIGS. 1-5. Different parts of the description, anddifferent associated flowcharts, focus on different respective aspectsof the various functionalities described with reference to the examplemap GUI 612 of FIGS. 6A-11B. For avoidance of repetition, not all of thedifferent operations previously described are repeated in the respectiveflowcharts and associated method descriptions. The various operationsthat provide respective functionalities described with reference to theexample map GUI 612 of FIGS. 6A-11B are, however, to be read as formingpart of the respective methods, except where clearly not applicable.

Location-Based Searching with Variable Search Period

FIG. 13A is a schematic flow chart illustrating a high-level view of amethod 1300 of providing a map-based GUI for a social media application,according to an example embodiment, including the functionality oflocation-based searching.

At operation 1302, the map engine 1208 effects display of the map GUI612 on the client device 102. This can comprise compiling location-basedsocial media galleries by identifying the respective set of snaps thatare included in each of multiple stories or galleries viewable via themap GUI 612. Note that in this description the superset of snaps orsocial media items that are publicly viewable via the map GUI 612 (e.g.,all of the snaps uploaded to Our Story) is used as an overarchinggallery, with operations performed by the CMS 1224 (such as managingrespective gallery participation timers for the multiple snaps) in someinstances applying also to snaps that are not included in any storyreplayable by user-selection of a corresponding story icon 631/633.

The display of the map GUI 612, at operation 1302, is triggered byreceiving a request for map display via the map GUI 612. Thus, forexample, an initial loading of the social media client application 104on the client device 102 in some embodiments automatically requests mapinformation for a geographical area centered on the user's currentlocation at a default magnification level. Likewise, when the userchanges the geographical area to be displayed in the map viewport 621(e.g., by changing the magnification level and/or by changing thecenterpoint of the map 618), a request for corresponding map informationis issued.

In response to the request for map display information, the map engine1208 in an automated operation identifies the particular social mediagalleries that are to be surfaced in the requested map view bydisplaying respective story icons 631, 633 on the map 618. In thisexample embodiment, as described previously, a number of spike storiesare identified for surfacing based on previously calculated respectiveanomality metric values, and a number of place stories are identifiedfor surfacing based on snap volume.

The map engine 1208 causes display in the map GUI 612 of respectivestory icons 631, 633 for each gallery or story identified for surfacing.In this example embodiment, the application server 112 communicates tothe client device 102 gallery information in the form of respectivestory manifests that provide information necessary for displaying therespective story icons 631, 633. For example, the application server 112can provide, for each of the surfaced stories, a location of thecorresponding story icon 631/633, an indicator of the type of story icon(e.g., whether it is a place icon 631 or a spike icon 633), a name orlabel of the story (if any), a thumbnail image for inclusion in therespective story icon 631/633, and a list of snaps forming part of thecorresponding story. In some embodiments, as discussed previously, suchgallery information may include the payload of a first few of the snaps,to enable immediate commencement of story playback in response to userselection. Based on the gallery information thus received, the clientdevice 102 generates the requested map view in the map GUI 612, in someinstances including display of a plurality of place icons 631 and aplurality of spike icons 633 at different respective locations on themap 618.

At operation 1304, a location-based search query is received via the mapGUI 612, user input indicating a location-based search query. In thisexample embodiment, the user input comprises user engagement with afeature of the map GUI 612 for a certain engagement duration. Ininstances where the map GUI 612 is rendered on the touchscreen 606 (FIG.6A) receptive to haptic input, the user engagement to trigger alocation-based search query comprises haptic input in the form of amanual tap or press-and-hold operation at the user-selected targetlocation 1110, as illustrated schematically in FIG. 11A.

At operation 1306, the search engine 1233 automatically determines asearch period with respect to which the location-based search is to beconducted, the value of the search period being variable depending onthe length of the engagement duration for which the user input ismaintained. As discussed with reference to the description of FIG. 11,the search period indicates a length of preceding time with respect towhich the social media content search is performed.

Turning briefly to FIG. 13B, therein is shown a flowchart of an exampleprocedure 1306 for determining the search period. First, the engagementduration of the user input is identified, at operation 1314. In thisexample embodiment, the engagement duration is the interval for whichthe user maintains contact with the touchscreen 606 at the targetlocation (FIG. 11A).

In this example embodiment, a default search period is applied if theengagement duration a shorter than a predefined threshold duration, inthis instance being 0.5 seconds. It will be appreciated that differentthreshold durations can be used in different embodiments. Thus, atoperation 1315, it is determined whether or not the engagement durationis greater than the threshold duration. If not, the search period is setto the default search period, at operation 1316. In the present exampleembodiment, the default search period is 12 hours. Thus, a tap input atthe target location 1110 will trigger a location-based search for snapsrespective timestamp information falling within the preceding 12 hours.

If, however, it is determined, at operation 1315, that the engagementduration is greater than a threshold duration, then the search period isset to a time window greater than the default search period. In someembodiments, search period variation is binary, in that any engagementduration longer than the threshold duration triggers a consistent searchperiod. In one such embodiment, a tap input triggers a 6 hour searchperiod, while a press-and-hold input (e.g., held for longer than 0.5seconds) invariably triggers a search period of 12 hours.

In this example embodiment, however, the search period progressivelyincreases with an increase in an excess interval, being the timeinterval for which the user input is maintained past the thresholdduration. Thus, at operation 1317, the search engine 1233 identifies theexcess interval, and then determines and sets the extended search periodbased on the identified excess interval. In this example embodimentprogressive increase in the extended search period is stepwise, forexample providing for a 2 hour increase in the search period for every0.25 second increase in the excess interval.

Returning now to FIG. 13A, a location-based search for social mediacontent is performed based on the user-selected target location 1110 andsearch period is performed, at operation 1308, identifying a set ofsocial media items (in this example embodiment, ephemeral messages inthe form of snaps) lying within a geographical search area 1130 centeredon the target location 1110 and having timestamp information fallingwithin the search period. Two alternative example embodiments for theoperation of performing the location-based search, at operation 1308,will be described below with reference to FIG. 13C and FIG. 13D,respectively.

At operation 1312, the search results provided by the location-basedsearch are presented on the client device 102. In the present exampleembodiment, such presentation of the search results comprises automatedsequential replay of the snaps included in the search result set. In oneexample, the snaps are played back in chronological sequence based onrespective timestamps, with the earliest snap being played first. Inother embodiments, presentation of the search results, at operation1312, can comprise displaying the snaps in the search result set as alist of selectable user interface elements.

Turning now to FIG. 13C, therein is shown a flowchart 1320 illustratingone example embodiment of procedures for performing the location-basedsearch, at operation 1308 in the method 1300 of FIG. 13A, and performingthe presentation of search results on the client device 102, atoperation 1312 in the method 1300 of FIG. 13A.

In the example embodiment of FIG. 13C, the location-based search(operation 1308) is performed with respect to a static geographicalsearch area 1130 (FIG. 11B) of predetermined size. Thus, in response touser selection of the target location 1110, the geographical search area1130 is determined, at operation 1322, by defining a substantiallycircular geographical area centered on the target location 1110. Thegeographical search area 1130 is thus defined as including all thelocations lying within a predetermined radius of the target location1110.

At operation 1326, a set of candidate messages/snaps is identified asconsisting of all publicly viewable ephemeral messages (in this exampleembodiment being snaps uploaded to Our Story) having geotag dataindicating a respective location falling within the geographical searcharea 1130. The set of candidate messages is further limited to snapshaving timestamp data indicating a respective submission time fallingwithin the relevant search period. In some example embodiments, aconsistent predetermined search period applies, e.g., being equal to thedefault availability lifetime (also referred to herein as the “galleryparticipation timer” or “story participation timer”) of snaps uploadedto the social media application. Thus, in one example where snapsuploaded to Our Story are by default available for viewing for a periodof 24 hours, the search timespan is 24 hours. In this exampleembodiment, the search period is dynamically variable based on theengagement duration of the user input, as described with reference toFIG. 13B.

At operation 1328, the set of candidate snaps identified based ongeo-tag data and timestamp data is filtered by excluding therefrom allsnaps that are included in any one of the place stories or the spikestories represented in the map GUI 612 by respective story icons 631,633. The filtered set of candidate snaps provides the search result set.

In the example embodiment of FIG. 13C, presentation of the searchresults on the client device 102 (operation 1312) comprises sequencingthe result set, at operation 1338, to arrange the snaps in the searchresult set in an order that is not strictly chronological, andthereafter, at operation 1357, performing automated sequential playbackof the snaps in the search result set in the identified sequence.

The sequencing procedure (operation 1338) in this example embodimentcomprises, at operation 1343, clustering the snaps in the search resultset into multiple geo-temporal clusters. In some embodiments, thegeo-temporal clustering may be based exclusively on location (asindicated by geo-tag data), so that the clusters are purely geographicalclusters. In this example embodiment, however, the clustering isgeo-temporal in that the snaps are clustered based on a combination ofgeographic location and timestamp. To this end, a clustering metric isdefined as a geo-temporal distance that quantifies a “distance” betweensnaps in time and space. The snaps are thus clustered based on theirgeo-temporal proximity.

At operation 1347, the respective clusters of snaps are sorted bydistance from the target location 1110. In particular, the clusters areordered such that clusters closer to the target location 1110 areearlier in the sequence than clusters that are further from the targetlocation 1110. At operation 1351, the snaps within each cluster aresorted by timestamp, such that earlier snaps are located earlier in thesequence.

At operation 1357, automated sequential playback of the snaps in thesearch result set is performed based on the sequence identified atoperation 1338.

FIG. 13D shows a schematic flow chart illustrating operations formingpart of a procedure for performing a location-based search based on auser-selected target location, at operation 1308 in the example method1300 of FIG. 13A. In the example embodiment of FIG. 13C, thelocation-based search is performed based on a dynamic geographicalsearch area 1130 which progressively grows in size until a predefinednumber of snaps are located for playback, or until the geographicalsearch area 1130 reaches a maximum size.

In response to user input of the search query by selecting the targetlocation 1110, operations 1322, 1326, and 1328 initially proceedsimilarly to like-numbered operations described in the exampleembodiment of FIG. 13B, with an initial geographical search area 1130being defined at operation 1322 to have a predefined initial radius. Atoperation 1370, the search engine 1233 determines whether or not thenumber of snaps in the current search result set is smaller than apredefined maximum size. For example, the predefined maximum size may be20 snaps, so that the location-based search in no instance returns asearch result set greater than 20 snaps. If it is determined, atoperation 1370, that the search result set is equal to or greater thanthe predefined maximum size, the search is stopped, at operation 1375.

Otherwise, however, it is determined, at operation 1371, whether or notthe geographical search area 1130 has a radius smaller than a predefinedmaximum size. Of course, at the first iteration of the process, thegeographical search area 1130 will be found to be smaller than themaximum size. In some embodiments, the maximum size of the geographicalsearch area 1130 is defined in terms of actual geographical size. Inthis embodiment, however, the maximum size of the geographical searcharea 1130 is defined based on on-screen size. The geographical searcharea 1130 thus has a consistent maximum on-screen size, irrespective ofthe magnification level of the map 618.

If it is determined, at operation 1371, that the geographical searcharea 1130 is equal to or larger than the predefined maximum size, thesearch is stopped, at operation 1375. If, however, it is determined, atoperation 1371, that the geographical search area 1130 is smaller thanthe maximum size, the geographical search area 1130 is expanded, atoperation 1373, and further compilation of the search result set isperformed at operations 1326 and 1328 based on the expanded geographicalsearch area 1130.

It will thus be seen that, consistent with the example embodiment ofFIG. 13C, ephemeral snaps available for public viewing and not includedin any of the replayable stories represented by story icons 631, 633 areidentified with respect to a progressively growing geographical searcharea 1130 until the search result set reaches a maximum size, or untilthe geographical search area 1130 reaches a maximum size, whicheveroccurs first.

Friend Location Display at Non-Precise Regional Granularity

FIG. 14 is a schematic flow chart illustrating a method 1400 forproviding a map-based GUI for a social media application, according toan example embodiment, the map-based GUI allowing display of friend userlocations at a non-precise location within a defined geographical area,as described previously with reference to FIGS. 8A-8C.

At operation 1406, a request is received from the client device 102 fordisplay of a particular geographical area in the map viewport 621. Inresponse, the user location mechanism 1237 of the system 1200 causesdisplay, at operation 1424, of the map GUI 612 on the user device 102,including display of respective user icons (in this example embodimentin the form of bitmojis 640) at respective on-screen display locationsfor each friend user whose display location falls within the focus areaof the map viewport 621.

In this example embodiment, respective display locations for users areon an ongoing basis calculated or determined by the server system 108.Responsive to the view request, at operation 1406, the server system 108in such instances serves for each friend user geographical coordinatesindicating a respective display location. Instead or in addition (asillustrated schematically by the dotted line connecting operations 1406and 1403), determining of a respective display location is in someembodiments triggered by the view request from the client device 102, atoperation 1406. In instances where the display location is determinedserver-side a benefit is that the display location will be consistentacross user devices 102 for users viewing the location at the samegranularity level.

In some embodiments, the display location is determined client-side,with the server system 108 serving to the client device 102 the actuallocation for each friend together with an indication of the displaygranularity level, with an operation performed by the social mediaclient application determining the non-precise display location.

At operation 1403, a precise location associated with a particularfriend user is determined based on an actual location of the user device102 (as indicated by its location services) associated with that frienduser.

At operation 1409, the applicable display granularity level for aparticular user is determined. In this example embodiment, a binarygranularity scheme is provided, in which the user is viewed either at aprecise location or at city-level (being a particular instance of aregional level as referred to in the drawings and elsewhere herein). Thespecific defined geographical region within which the user's bitmoji 640is to be displayed is thus in this example embodiment the particularcity or town within the user's actual location is situated. Asdiscussed, other example embodiments may provide for a greater number ofdifferent stratified granular view levels, in which case the determiningoperation of 1409 serves to identify the particular applicable level ofgranularity.

If it is determined, at operation 1409, that the particular friend userallows the requesting user to view their precise location, the displaylocation for that user is, at operation 1415, set to equal the actuallocation associated with that friend user.

If, however, it is determined that the particular friend user allows therequesting user to view their location at regional level, the specificgeographical region (e.g., in this example the specific city/town) inwhich the user is located is determined, at operation 1412.

At operation 1418, a non-precise regional display location is determinedfor the particular friend user, such that the display location differsfrom the actual location of the friend's user device 102, but such thatthe display location is situated within the identified geographiclocation. In this example embodiment, a random location within theapplicable city is generated as display location. In other embodiments,the display location is determined in a partially random procedure, forexample having a probability distribution centered on the user's actuallocation. Instead, or in addition, one or more location constraints maybe applied to the display location, for example specifying that thedisplay location be no closer than a predefined buffer distance from anyboundary of the applicable city or geographical region.

In other embodiments, the determining of the display location may benonrandom. A benefit of a nonrandom, deterministic location calculationin embodiments where the display location is determined client-side isthat it enables the regional display location for a particular user tobe consistent across different client devices 102.

In either case, however, the display location determination is such asto be different for different user icons and/or to be different fordifferent instances of determination. This avoids displaying all userspresent within a given geographical region at a common location, whichcomplicates user access to and selection of the respective user icons.Furthermore, such distributed display locations within the geographicalregion creates at least a superficial appearance of accuracy. In thismanner user privacy is promoted, encouraging users to allow theirpresence on the social media platform to be visible via the map GUI 612and promoting user engagement.

In this example embodiment, the intentionally inaccurate regionaldisplay location thus determined is maintained constant for as long asthe particular friend user remains within the relevant city, asindicated by their device location. This avoids the appearance offakeness that can be caused by displaying the user at a differentlocation every time the map GUI 612 is rendered for the associated area.When it is thus identified, at operation 1421, that the user's currentactual location falls outside of the particular city, at operation 1421,a new display location is generated for the new city in which the useris located.

Friend-Level Access to Location-Agnostic Content

FIG. 15A illustrates a high-level flow chart of a method 1500 thatincludes providing a map-based GUI that includes one or morefriend-level access mechanisms which make available location-agnosticaccess to friend user content, according to an example embodiment.

At operation 1504, the map-based GUI is displayed via a client device102. The method 1500 will further be described with reference to the mapGUI 612 described earlier with reference to FIGS. 6A-11B. Display of themap GUI 612 includes displaying respective friend icons or bitmojis 640at respective locations on an interactive map 618 forming part of themap GUI 612.

At operation 1508, one or more friend-level access mechanisms areprovided as part of the map GUI 612. As will be seen with reference toFIG. 15B, the friend-level access mechanisms in this example embodimentincludes at least one of a search mechanism (see FIGS. 10A-10C) and afriend panel 909 that launches automatically response to selection of afriend user (see, for example, FIG. 9A).

At operation 1512, user input with respect to a target friend user isreceived. In some example embodiments, such user input is the selectionof a location-agnostic collection icon (e.g., a respective Friend Storyicon 932 displayed as part of search suggestions 1030 or a friend panel909). Responsive to the user input, a location-agnostic social mediacollection is displayed on the client device 102, e.g. by sequentialreplay of a series of snaps forming part of the selected storyassociated with the target friend user.

FIG. 15B shows a more detailed view of some of the operations of themethod 1500. The description of these operations are in accordance withexample embodiments described earlier with reference to FIGS. 9A, 10A,and 10B.

Display of a location-agnostic collection in the form of a friend'spersonal story (without any location constraints) is in this exampleachievable by one of two separate mechanisms. First, the user canselect, at operation 1534, a target user directly by selecting theirfriend icon (in this example embodiment, the bitmoji 640) displayedwithin the map viewport 621, or through operation of the friend carousel918 by swiping to the friend panel 909 (and consequent map focus) of theselected friend user. It will be seen that the interactive bitmojis 640and the friend carousel 918 thus in this embodiment separately and incombination provide a friend selector mechanism enabling the selectionof a target friend.

Responsive to selection of the target user, the corresponding friendpanel 909 (FIG. 9A) is displayed, which includes a location-agnosticcollection icon in the form of the corresponding Friend Story icon 932.If the user wishes to change the target user, the focus friend panel 909can be changed by swiping the friend carousel 918, as describedpreviously.

Responsive to receiving, at operation 1550, selection of the FriendStory icon 932, the corresponding location-agnostic snaps are replayedin series on the touchscreen 606 of the client device 102. Note that thefriend-level access mechanisms described above is operable in itsentirety without leaving the interactive map 618 or displaying a modalinterface in replacement thereof.

An alternative method of accessing the personal story or stories of afriend via the map is by triggering, at operation 1530, a suggestion orsearch interface 1010 (FIGS. 10A and 10B). The displayed list ofsuggestions 1030 or search results can include, at operation 1538, oneor more friend users displayed with associated Friend Story icons 932(or, in other embodiments, a different location-agnostic collectionicon).

If the user selects one of the Friend Story icons 932, at operation1550, the corresponding story is replayed directly, at operation 1554.Alternatively, the user can, at operation 1534, select a particular oneof the friend cells included in the list of suggestions 1030 or searchresults, causing the map focus to switch to the selected user, togetherwith display of the corresponding friend panel 909. The method can fromthere proceed as previously described.

It is a benefit of the location-agnostic access as described that itprovides for combination of the advantages of the location-based searchmechanisms provided by the map GUI 612, with the advantages ofinteracting with friend content without regard to any locationconstraint. In this manner, fewer operations are required to accesslocation-agnostic information via the map-based GUI than would otherwisebe the case, thus reducing resource consumption on the client device102.

Friend-Targeted Search

FIG. 16 shows a flowchart illustrating one example embodiment of amethod 1600 of providing for friend-targeted search functionality via amap-based GUI, enabling the triggering of searches that have a locationconstraint and that is based at least in part on an attribute of aselected target user. Thus, for example, the location constraint can bebased on the location of the target user. Instead, or in addition, thesearch can in some embodiments be limited to social media contentuploaded by the target user. The considerations and features discussedabove under the section titled Location-Based Searching via FriendLocation or for Friend Content applies to the example embodiment ofmethod 1600, and is to be read as forming part of the followingdescription with respect to FIG. 16.

The method 1600 comprises, at operation 1606, causing display on a userdevice 102 of a map-based graphical user interface, such as the map GUI612 described previously. At operation 1612, locations of respectivefriend users are graphically represented by displaying respective frienduser icons or bitmoji 640 at corresponding locations in the map viewport621.

At operation 1618, user input is received selecting a particular one ofthe friend users as a target user. This can be by selecting thecorresponding bitmoji 640, a friend panel 909, or searchresults/suggestion cell, as described with reference to thecorresponding portions of the example embodiment of FIG. 15B.

In this example embodiment, the user can interact with the map GUI 612to trigger performance, at operation 1624, of a search with a locationconstraint based on the location of the selected friend user. Asdiscussed earlier, this can be by triggering a search for social mediacontent having geo-tag information falling within a geographic searcharea centered on the friend user location. In some embodiments, such assearch can additionally have an owner constraint, so that search resultsare limited to social media items uploaded by the target user.

Alternatively, the user can trigger performance of a search, atoperation 1630, of a friend-specific content search (i.e., having anowner constraint limiting search results to content uploaded by thetarget user) that has a location constraint independent of the locationof the target user. In this example embodiment, the user can dynamicallychange the target area for the search by changing the particulargeographical area displayed in the map viewport 621.

At operation 1636, search results are displayed in the map GUI 612. Insome embodiments, the display of the search results comprises display ofa list of social media items and/or collections satisfying the searchcriteria. Instead, or in addition, the displaying of the search resultsin this example embodiment includes surfacing on the map GUI 612 socialmedia items uploaded by the target user. Previously discussed displayfeatures (including heatmap information, spike clustering, and/or spikestory surfacing) can in some embodiments be applied in the current mapviewport 621 exclusively to snaps uploaded by the selected friend user.Earlier description of those features are thus to be read as in someembodiments, mutatis mutandis, forming part of the method of FIG. 16.

Multi-Friend Cluster Icons

One aspect of the disclosure provides for clustering together user iconsor bitmojis 640 in a cluster icon that is a distinct user face elementby use of which actions for the relevant friend users as a group can beperformed. FIG. 17A shows one example embodiment of such a cluster icon1920 displayed on a map GUI 612 according to the previously describedexample embodiments.

As can be seen in FIG. 17A, the cluster icon 1920 in one embodimentcomprises respective bitmojis 640 clustered together, with the clusterincluding a topmost bitmoji 640, which is not obscured by any of theother bitmojis 640 in the cluster. In some embodiments, the identity ofthe topmost bitmoji in the cluster icon 1920 is dynamically variablebased on a priority criterion related to social media activity. Thepriority criterion can, for example, be posting recency, so that theuser who has most recently posted a social media items to the platformis automatically displayed as the topmost bitmoji in the cluster icon1920. Note that social media items on which bitmoji prioritization isbased may in some embodiments be limited to social media items that arepublicly viewable via the map GUI 612.

Some embodiments provide for collective action functionality withrespect to all the users represented in the bitmoji cluster icon 1920.Thus, for example, all of the users represented in the cluster icon 1920may be selected simultaneously by selecting the bitmoji cluster icon1920. In some embodiments, the cluster icon 1920 may be displayed with acommon cluster label or tag. The label or tag may be user generatedcontent, an ad hoc label, or a label comprising the name of two or moreof the users represented in the cluster icon 1920.

Turning again to FIG. 17A, therein is shown a screenshot of an exampleembodiment of the map GUI 612 in which the locations of three users arerepresented in a common bitmoji cluster icon 1920. In this example, thedisplay of these users in the cluster icon 1920 is based on identifyingthe respective locations of user devices associated with the users asbeing within a predefined threshold distance from each other.

In other embodiments, cluster display of bitmojis 640 are based onproximity not of actual user locations, but of fuzzed, obscured, orotherwise intentionally inaccurate location displays. Thus, for example,where a user's presence within a particular geographic area (such as acity, neighborhood, or the like) is represented with display of theirbitmojis 640 at a particular representative location, multiple users whoare located at different positions within the geographical area may berepresented in a common bitmoji cluster icon 1920 located on the map 618at the representative location.

As can be seen FIG. 17A, the bitmojis 640 are clustered such that someof the bitmojis 640 are partially obscured by other bitmojis 640 in thecluster icon 1920. In the example of FIG. 17A, a single one of thebitmojis 640 is unobscured, being a topmost bitmoji. In other exampleembodiments, such as for example the example embodiment illustrated inFIG. 19 (in which six bitmojis 640 are arranged in a carousel-stylecluster icon 1920 at the Bootleg Theater), a bitmoji cluster icon 1920can include more than one unobscured bitmojis 640.

In this example embodiment, the order of the bitmojis 640 in the clustericon 1920 is determined by recency of posting snaps that are viewable bythe user via the map GUI 612. Such postings can in this example includeitems posted to Our Story (thus being generally available) and itemsposted to personal stories accessible by the user. In other embodiments,cluster order may be determined exclusively by recency of postingpublicly available content to the map GUI 612. Note in this regard thetimestamps on the respective user cards or friend panels 909 in FIG. 17Aand FIG. 17B, indicating how recently the respective users last postedcontent to the social media platform.

In other embodiments, the priority criterion for arranging the order ofbitmojis 640 in the cluster icon 1920 may instead, or in addition,include a number of other attributes. In one example embodiment, clusterorder may be determined based on recency of accessing or looking intothe map GUI 612, so that a player who accesses the social media platformmore recently than another player would be displayed above that otherplayer in the bitmoji cluster icon 1920.

In yet further example embodiments, bitmoji cluster order may bedetermined based on recency of location update, so that the user withthe most recently updated location will be displayed on top, with thedisplay order descending by a recency of location update. It willappreciated that, in such an example embodiment, timestamps on thecorresponding user cards are last seen timestamps, indicating timeexpired since last location update by the corresponding user.

The system may provide for certain exceptions to the arrangement of thebitmojis 640 in the cluster icon 1920 according to the relevant appliedpriority criterion. In this example, a bitmojis 640 upon which the userfocuses is automatically displayed on top of the cluster icon 1920. Suchfocusing on a particular bitmojis 640 can be by way of selecting aparticular one of the bitmojis 640 in the cluster icon 1920. Thus, forexample, a user may wish to access content or view information about acertain user represented in the cluster icon 1920, and in order to do somay click on the partially obscured bitmoji 640 of that user. Responsiveto such specific selection, the selected bitmoji 640 is brought to thetop of the cluster icon 1920. Note that such selection of a specificbitmoji 640 in the cluster icon 1920 is in this example embodimentpossible only subsequent to selection of the cluster globally, asdescribed below.

Another instance in which the default bitmoji priority in the clustericon 1920 is overridden is when the cluster icon 1920 is displayedresponsive to a user-initiated search for a target user within thecluster icon 1920. Thus, when the user interacting with the map GUI 612searches for a user that is currently in a cluster icon 1920, andthereafter clicks on a result cell to navigate to the target user, themap focus switches to the relevant cluster icon 1920 and thesearched—for user is brought to the top of the cluster icon 1920.

Turning briefly to FIG. 18, there any shown a

In this example embodiment, selection of the cluster icon 1920 withinthe map GUI 612 automatically causes selection of the entire cluster,without zooming in. Furthermore, in response to selection of the clustericon 1920, a label 1940 appears above the cluster icon 1920, with theparticular label 1940 that is applied being determined by predefinedcluster labeling logic. Note that both of the cluster icons 631, 633 ofFIG. 17A and FIG. 17B are shown immediately subsequent to suchselection.

In this example embodiment, cluster labeling logic include the followingpredefined operations:

-   -   If the cluster is not associated with a predefined group, then        two or more names of individuals forming part of the bitmoji        cluster is displayed in the label 1940.        -   In this example embodiment, up to six names can be displayed            in the cluster label 1940. In the example screenshot of FIG.            17A, the names of all three of the cluster members are            displayed in the label 1940.        -   If the customer has more than six people, the label 1940            shows the first five names, followed by “& X others,” where            X indicates the number of other users in the cluster.    -   If the cluster matches a previously defined group (e.g., a chat        group or a self-identified group), then the label 1940 will use        the group name. In the instance illustrated in FIG. 17B, the        individuals represented in the cluster exactly matches a group        chat of the user on whose device the map GUI 612 is displayed,        and the label 1940 thus automatically displays the group name of        that group chat.

In this example embodiment, the map GUI 612 further automaticallyprovides, responsive to selection of a bitmoji cluster, a soft button1925 for creating a group composed of the members of the selectedcluster. Responsive to selection of the “Create Group” soft button 1925,the soft button is replaced by a “chat group” soft button that isselectable launch a chat interface with the chat group created from thecluster icon 1920.

Turning now to FIG. 18, therein is shown a flowchart of a method ofproviding a map-based graphical user interface such as the exemplifiedmap GUI 612. The method is in this example embodiment performed by themap engine 1208 in cooperation with the client device 102. At operation1805, user location information is access, based on the position of therespective user devices. At operation 1810, a set of users areidentified as a formal clustered based on predefined clusteringcriteria. In this example embodiment, the clustering criteria is thatthe users are all present within in the geographical bounds of a definedplace, e.g. such as that which can be represented by a place icon 631.

Responsive to identifying the relevant users satisfying the clusteringcriteria, their respective locations are displayed on the map 618(responsive to a request for viewing the relevant area in the mapviewport 621 of a user with viewing permission) by a cluster icon 1920,as discussed with reference to FIG. 19.

At operation 1830, the cluster icon 1920 is selected by a user via thetouchscreen 606. Responsive to selection, respective friend panels 909for the users in the cluster are displayed in the map GUI 612. Selectionof the cluster icon 1920 also launches the icon label 1940. At operation1825, it is determined whether or not the set of users in the clusterexactly matches a pre-existing defined group. If so, a group label 1940is displayed, at operation 1845, being the icon label with the relevantgroup name, as is the case in FIG. 17B. If not, the label 1940 isdisplayed, at operation 1820, with the list of usernames or handles (seeFIG. 17A). A grouping option presented by the grouping button 1925 isalso displayed, at operation 1840. On selection of the grouping option,a new group is created and named, after which the group label 1940 isdisplayed, at operation 1845. While displaying the group label, communalactions with respect to the set of clustered users are available via themap GUI 612, for example via a chat button.

If, at any stage after selection of the cluster icon 1920, asubselection is received, at operation 1835, the bitmoji 640 of theselected user is foregrounded, at operation 1850, and accessible userinterface elements for performing actions with respect to the selectedfriend is displayed in the map GUI 612, for example via thecorresponding friend panel 909.

Recapitulation of Selected Example Embodiments

From the preceding description it will be seen that a number of exampleembodiments and combinations of example embodiments are disclosed. Thedisclosed embodiments include, but are not limited to, the enumeratedlist of example embodiments that follow.

Example 1

A method comprising:

-   causing display on a user device of a graphical user interface (GUI)    for a social media application;-   receiving a search query provided by a user input that comprises    user engagement with a selected feature of the GUI, the user input    having an engagement duration for which user engagement with the    selected feature is maintained;-   calculating a search period based at least in part on the engagement    duration, the search period indicating a length of preceding time    with respect to which a social media content search is to be    performed, such that the search period is variable in length    dependent on variation in length of the engagement duration;-   performing a search for social media content having timestamp    information falling within the search period; and-   causing display on the user device of search results of the search.

Example 2

The method of example 1, wherein the user input is a tap-and-hold or aclick-and-hold input, with the engagement duration being defined by timeelapsed between tap or click initiation and release.

Example 3

The method example 1 or example 2, wherein: the GUI is a map-based GUIthat includes an interactive map of a geographic area;

-   wherein the search query is a location-based search query, the user    input comprising selection of a target location on the map of the    GUI; and-   wherein the search is a location-based search for geo-tagged social    media content, the location-based search being performed based at    least in part on a combination of:    -   the user-selected target location; and    -   the search period indicated by the engagement

Example 4

The method of example 3, wherein:

-   the interactive map includes one or more gallery icons that are    displayed at respective locations on the map and that are    user-selectable to trigger display of social media content    associated with the respective gallery icons; and-   wherein the target location is spaced from the one or more gallery    icons, the location-based search being performed with respect to a    target area substantially centered on the target location.

Example 5

The method of example 3 or example 4, wherein:

-   the GUI is displayed on a touchscreen forming part of the user    device; and-   wherein the user input comprises haptic contact with the    touchscreen, the engagement duration being defined by an interval    for which the user maintains contact with the touchscreen at the    target location.

Example 6

The method of any one of examples 1-5, wherein the calculating of thesearch period comprises:

-   determining whether or not the engagement duration exceeds a    predefined threshold duration, and-   determining the search period based at least in part on the    determination as to whether or not the engagement period exceeds the    predefined threshold duration.

Example 7

The method of example 6 wherein the calculating of the search periodfurther comprises, in response to determining that the engagementduration does not exceed the threshold duration, setting the searchperiod to a predefined default search period.

Example 8

The method of example 6, wherein the calculating of the search periodfurther comprises, in response to determining that the engagementduration exceeds the threshold duration, determining the search periodto be greater than the default search period.

Example 9

The method of example 8, wherein the calculating of the search period issuch that the search period is variable in length as a function of anexcess interval by which the engagement duration exceeds the thresholdduration, such that the search period increases with an increase in theexcess interval.

Example 10

The method of example 1, wherein display of the search results comprisesautomated sequential replay of the user device of a plurality of socialmedia items comprising the search results.

Example 11

A system comprising:

-   a search engine comprising one or more computer processors    configured to perform operations comprising:    -   causing display on a user device of a graphical user interface        (GUI) for a social media application;    -   receiving, via a user device on which a graphical user interface        (GUI) for a social media application is displayed, a search        query provided by a user input that comprises user engagement        with a selected feature of the GUI, the user input having an        engagement duration for which user engagement with the selected        feature is maintained;    -   calculating a search period based at least in part on the        engagement duration, the search period indicating a length of        preceding time with respect to which a social media content        search is to be performed, such that the search period is        variable in length dependent on variation in length of the        engagement duration;    -   performing a search for social media content having timestamp        information falling within the search period; and causing        display on the user device of search results of the search.

Example 12

The system of example 11, wherein the user input is a tap-and-hold or aclick-and-hold input, with the engagement duration being defined by timeelapsed between tap or click initiation and release.

Example 13

The system example 11 or claim 12, further comprising:

-   a map engine comprising one or more computer processors configured    to cause display of an interactive map of a geographic area as part    of the GUI, the GUI being a map-based graphical user interface;-   wherein the search query is a location-based search query, the user    input comprising selection of a target location on the map of the    GUI; and-   wherein the search engine is configured to perform the search as a    location-based search for geo-tagged social media content, the    location-based search being performed based at least in part on a    combination of:    -   the user-selected target location; and    -   the search period indicated by the engagement

Example 14

The system of example 13, wherein:

-   the interactive map includes one or more gallery icons that are    displayed at respective locations on the map and that are    user-selectable to trigger display of social media content    associated with the respective gallery icons; and-   wherein the target location is spaced from the one or more gallery    icons, the search engine being configured to perform the    location-based search with respect to a target area substantially    centered on the target location.

Example 15

The system of example 13 or claim 14, wherein:

-   the map engine is configured to cause display of the map-based GUI    on a touchscreen forming part of the user device; and-   wherein the user input comprises haptic contact with the    touchscreen, the engagement duration being defined by an interval    for which the user maintains contact with the touchscreen at the    target location.

Example 16

The system of any one of examples 11-15, wherein the search engine isfurther configured to perform operations comprising:

-   determining whether or not the engagement duration exceeds a    predefined threshold duration, and-   determining the search period based at least in part on the    determination as to whether or not the engagement period exceeds the    predefined threshold duration.

Example 17

The system of example 16, wherein the search engine is furtherconfigured to perform operations comprising:

-   in response to determining that the engagement duration does not    exceed the threshold duration, setting the search period to a    predefined default search period; and-   in response to determining that the engagement duration exceeds the    threshold duration, calculating the search period to be greater than    the default search period.

Example 18

The system of example 17, wherein the search engine is configured tocalculate the search period such that the search period is variable inlength as a function of an excess interval by which the engagementduration exceeds the threshold duration, so that the search periodincreases with an increase in the excess interval.

Example 19

The system of example any one of examples 11-18, wherein the searchengine is configured to display the search results as an automatedsequential replay of the user device of a plurality of social mediaitems located in the search.

Example 20

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereoninstructions for causing a machine, when executing the instructions, toperform operations comprising:

-   causing display on a user device of a graphical user interface (GUI)    for a social media application;-   receiving a search query provided by a user input that comprises    user engagement with a selected feature of the GUI, the user input    having an engagement duration for which user engagement with the    selected feature is maintained;-   calculating a search period based at least in part on the engagement    duration, the search period indicating a length of preceding time    with respect to which a social media content search is to be    performed, such that the search period is variable in length    dependent on variation in length of the engagement duration;-   performing a search for social media content having timestamp    information falling within the search period; and-   causing display on the user device of search results of the search.

Example 21

A system comprising:

-   a user location mechanism comprising one or more computer processors    configured to perform operations comprising:    -   determining an actual location of a user device associated with        a user of a social media application;    -   identifying a defined geographical region within which the        actual location of the user device is situated; and    -   determining a display location for the user such that the        display location differs from the actual location of the user        device, and such that the display location is within the defined        geographical region; and-   a map engine comprising one or more computer processor devices    configured to perform operations comprising:    -   causing generation of a map-based graphical user interface (GUI)        for a social media application, the map-based GUI including an        interactive map of a geographical area that includes at least        part of the defined geographical region; and    -   causing display on the interactive map of the GUI of a user icon        at the display location, the user icon being representative of        the user associated with the user device.

Example 22

The system of example 21, wherein the map-based GUI is generated on afriend user device that is associated with a friend user who is a memberof a social network of the user.

Example 23

The system of example 22, wherein the map engine is configured to, inresponse to generation of an instance of the map-based GUI on the userdevice, cause display of the user icon for the user substantially at theactual location, so that the display location of the user icon isdifferent on the user device than it is on the friend user device.

Example 24

The system of any one of examples 21-23, wherein the definedgeographical region is a cartographically defined area.

Example 25

The system of example 24, wherein the geographically defined region is acity.

Example 26

The system of example 24, wherein the geographically defined region is aneighborhood.

Example 27

The system of any one of examples 22-26, wherein the user locationmechanism is configured to determine the display location by generatingthe display location in an at least partially randomized procedure.

Example 28

The system of any one of examples 22-26, wherein the user locationmechanism is configured to determine the display location by generatinga random location within the defined geographical region.

Example 29

The system of example 22-28, wherein the user location mechanism isfurther configured to maintain, while the user device is located in thedefined geographical region, the display location consistent betweendifferent instances of generation of the map-based GUI.

Example 30

The system of example 22-29, wherein the map engine is configure todisplay in association with the user icon a label indicating theidentified defined geographical region.

Example 31

A method comprising:

-   determining an actual location of a user device associated with a    user of a social media application;-   identifying a defined geographical region within which the actual    location of the user device is situated;-   determining a display location for the user such that the display    location differs from the actual location of the user device, and    such that the display location is within the defined geographical    region;-   causing generation of a map-based graphical user interface (GUI) for    a social media application, the map-based GUI including an    interactive map of a geographical area that includes at least part    of the defined geographical region; and-   causing display on the interactive map of the GUI of a user icon at    the display location, the user icon being representative of the user    associated with the user device.

Example 32

The method of example 31, wherein the map-based GUI is generated on afriend user device that is associated with a friend user who is a memberof a social network of the user.

Example 33

The method of example 32, further comprising, in response to generationof an instance of the map-based GUI on the user device, causing displayof the user icon for the user substantially at the actual location, sothat the display location of the user icon is different on the userdevice than it is on the friend user device.

Example 34

The method of example 33, wherein the geographically defined region is acity.

Example 35

The method of example 33, wherein the geographically defined region is aneighborhood.

Example 36

The method of any one of examples 32-35, wherein determining the displaylocation comprises generating the display location in an at leastpartially randomized procedure.

Example 37

The method of example 36, wherein the determining of the displaylocation comprises generating a random location within the definedgeographical region.

Example 38

The method of example 32-37, further comprising, while the user deviceis located in the defined geographical region, maintaining the displaylocation consistent between different instances of generation of themap-based GUI.

Example 39

The method of example 32-38, wherein the displaying of the user iconcomprises displaying in association with the user icon a labelindicating the defined geographical region.

Example 40

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereoninstructions for causing a machine, when executing the instructions, toperform operations comprising:

-   determining an actual location of a user device associated with a    user of a social media application;-   identifying a defined geographical region within which the actual    location of the user device is situated;-   determining a display location for the user such that the display    location differs from the actual location of the user device, and    such that the display location is within the defined geographical    region;-   causing generation of a map-based graphical user interface (GUI) for    a social media application, the map-based GUI including an    interactive map of a geographical area that includes at least part    of the defined geographical region; and-   causing display on the interactive map of the GUI of a user icon at    the display location, the user icon being representative of the user    associated with the user device.

Example 41

A method comprising:

-   causing display on a user device of a map-based graphical user    interface (GUI) for a social media application, the map-based GUI    including an interactive map of a geographical area, the map GUI    providing one or more location-based access mechanisms, each of    which enables user access to social media content based at least in    part on location information associated with a set of social media    items;-   causing display on the interactive map of a plurality of friend    icons representing respective geographic locations of a plurality of    friend users of the user associated with the user device, each    friend user being a member of a social network of the user;-   providing via the map-based GUI a friend-level access mechanism that    enables location-agnostic access to friend user content;-   receiving, via the friend-level access mechanism, user input with    respect to a target user selected from the plurality of friend    users; and-   responsive to the user input, causing display of a location-agnostic    collection of social media items.

Example 42

The method of example 41, wherein the friend-level access mechanismcomprises a location-agnostic collection icon displayed in associationwith an indicator of the target user, the location-agnostic collectionicon being user-selectable to trigger replay of an associated collectionof social media items without consideration of location information ofthe collection of social media items relative to the geographical areadisplayed in the interactive map.

Example 43

The method of example 42, wherein the friend-level access mechanismcomprises a friend search mechanism that enables the user to search forthe target user.

Example 44

The method of example 43, wherein the friend search mechanism enablesthe entry of a search query, the method further comprising: receiving asearch query via the friend search mechanism; and displaying a searchresult based on the search query, the search result including arespective location-agnostic collection icon for each of at least onefriend user located based on the search query.

Example 45

The method of example 44, wherein displaying the search result comprisesdisplaying a plurality of indicators for a corresponding plurality offriend users satisfying the search query, and displaying in associationwith each friend user indicator a corresponding location-agnosticcollection icon. Location indicators can include a friend name, handle,or the like.

Example 46

The method of any one of examples 42-45, wherein the friend-level accessmechanism comprises a friend selector mechanism that enables the user toselect, via the map-based GUI, the target user, and that enablesselective display of the location-agnostic collection of social mediaitems without leaving the interactive map.

Example 47

The method of example 46, further comprising, upon selection of thetarget user, displaying a friend panel as part of the map-based GUI, thefriend panel being an interactive GUI element that contains thelocation-agnostic collection icon associated with the target user.

Example 48

The method of example 47, wherein the plurality of friend iconsdisplayed in the map are user-selectable, and wherein selection of any)one of the plurality of friend icons automatically triggers display of acorresponding friend panel.

Example 49

The method of example 47 or example 48, further comprising, in responseto selecting the target user, moving the geographical area displayed bythe map to focus on the friend icon of the target user.

Example 50

The method of any one of examples 46-49, wherein the friend selectormechanism enables sequential selection of a plurality of friend usersone after the other in sequence, the method further comprising, for eachfriend selected in the sequence, switching focus of the map to acurrently selected friend user.

Example 51

The method of example 50, wherein sequential selection of friend usersis by user interaction with a current friend panel displayed as part ofthe map-based GUI in association with a currently selected friend user,the method further comprising:

-   receiving a user swipe input with respect to the current friend    panel; and-   in response to the swipe input, dismissing the swiped friend panel    and displaying in replacement thereof a friend panel of a next    friend user in sequence.

Example 52

A system comprising:

-   one or more computer processors; and-   one or more memories storing machine readable storage medium that    configure the one or more computer processors, when executing the    instructions, to perform operations comprising:    -   causing display on a user device of a map-based graphical user        interface (GUI) for a social media application, the map-based        GUI including an interactive map of a geographical area, the map        GUI providing one or more location-based access mechanisms, each        of which enables user access to social media content based at        least in part on location information associated with a set of        social media items;    -   causing display on the interactive map of a plurality of friend        icons representing respective geographic locations of a        plurality of friend users of the user associated with the user        device, each friend user being a member of a social network of        the user;    -   providing via the map-based GUI a friend-level access mechanism        that enables location-agnostic access to friend user content;    -   receiving, via the friend-level access mechanism, user input        with respect to a target user selected from the plurality of        friend users; and    -   responsive to the user input, causing display of a        location-agnostic collection of social media items.

Example 53

The system of example 52, wherein the friend-level access mechanismcomprises a location-agnostic collection icon displayed in associationwith an indicator of the target user, the location-agnostic collectionicon being user-selectable to trigger replay of an associated collectionof social media items without consideration of location information ofthe collection of social media items relative to the geographical areadisplayed in the interactive map.

Example 54

The system of example 53, wherein the friend-level access mechanismcomprises a friend search mechanism that enables the user to search forthe target user.

Example 55

The system of example 55, wherein the friend search mechanism enablesthe entry of a search query, the instructions further being configuredto:

-   receive a search query via the friend search mechanism; and-   display a search result based on the search query, the search result    including a respective location-agnostic collection icon for each of    at least one friend user located based on the search query.

Example 56

The system of example 55, wherein the display of the search resultcomprises display of a plurality of indicators for a correspondingplurality of friend users satisfying the search query, and displaying inassociation with each friend user indicator a correspondinglocation-agnostic collection icon.

Example 57

The system of any one of examples 53-56, wherein the friend-level accessmechanism comprises a friend selector mechanism that enables the user toselect, via the map-based GUI, the target user, and that enablesselective display of the location-agnostic collection of social mediaitems without leaving the interactive map

Example 58

The system of example 57, wherein the friend selector mechanism isconfigured to, upon selection of the target user, display a friend panelas part of the map-based GUI, the friend panel being an interactive GUIelement that contains the location-agnostic collection icon associatedwith the target user.

Example 59

The system of example 58, wherein the plurality of friend iconsdisplayed in the map are user-selectable, and wherein selection of anyone of the plurality of friend icons automatically triggers display of acorresponding friend panel.

Example 60

The system of example 58 or example 59, wherein the system is furtherconfigured to, in response to selecting the target user, move thegeographical area displayed by the map to focus on the friend icon ofthe target user.

Example 61

The system of any one of examples 57-60, wherein the friend selectormechanism enables sequential selection of a plurality of friend usersone after the other in sequence, the system further comprising, for eachfriend selected in the sequence, switching focus of the map to acurrently selected friend user.

Example 62

The system of example 61, wherein the friend selection mechanism enablessequential selection of friend users by user interaction with a currentfriend panel displayed as part of the map-based GUI in association witha currently selected friend user, the system further being configuredto: receive a user swipe input with respect to the current friend panel;and in response to the swipe input, dismiss the swiped friend panel anddisplay in replacement thereof a friend panel of a next friend user insequence.

Example 63

A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructionsfor causing a machine, when executing the instructions, to performoperations comprising:

-   causing display on a user device of a map-based graphical user    interface (GUI) for a social media application, the map-based GUI    including an interactive map of a geographical area, the map GUI    providing one or more location-based access mechanisms, each of    which enables user access to social media content based at least in    part on location information associated with a set of social media    items;-   causing display on the interactive map of a plurality of friend    icons representing respective geographic locations of a plurality of    friend users of the user associated with the user device, each    friend user being a member of a social network of the user;-   providing via the map-based GUI a friend-level access mechanism that    enables location-agnostic access to friend user content;-   receiving, via the friend-level access mechanism, user input with    respect to a target user selected from the plurality of friend    users; and-   responsive to the user input, causing display of a location-agnostic    collection of social media items.

Example 64

A system comprising:

-   a map engine comprising one or more computer processor devices    configured to perform operations comprising:    -   causing display on a user device of a map-based graphical user        interface (GUI) for a social media application, the map-based        GUI including an interactive map of a geographical area; and    -   receiving, via the map-based GUI, user input selecting one of a        plurality of friend users of a user associated with the user        device, each friend user being a member of a social network of        the user; and-   a search engine comprising at least one computer device configured    to perform operations comprising:    -   performing an automated search for social media content based at        least in part on one or more attributes of the selected friend        user, the automated search having a location constraint that        limits search result to social media content satisfying the        location constraint; and    -   causing display of search results of the automated search on the        user device via the map-based GUI.

Example 65

The system of example 64, wherein the location constraint is based atleast in part on a location attribute of the selected friend user.

Example 66

The system of example 65, wherein the search engine is configured suchthat the search for social media content is limited to social mediaitems having associated geo-tag information indicating respectivelocations that are within a predefined distance of a geographic locationassociated with the selected friend user.

Example 67

The system of example 65 or example 66, wherein the geographic locationassociated with the selected friend user is an actual location of afriend user device associated with the selected friend user.

Example 68

The system of example 65 or example 66, wherein the geographic locationassociated with the selected friend user, upon which the search isbased, is a display location at which a corresponding friend icon forthe selected friend user is displayed on the interactive map, thedisplay location being different from an actual location of a frienduser device associated with the friend user.

Example 69

The system of any one of examples 64-68, wherein the search further hasan owner constraint that limits social media content included in thesearch results to social media items created by a particular user.

Example 70

The system of example 69, wherein the owner constraint limits the searchresults to social media items created by the selected friend user.

Example 71

The system of any one of examples 64-70, wherein the location constraintlimits the search results to social media items having associatedgeo-tag information indicating respective locations that are locatedwithin the geographical area displayed by the interactive map when theuser input is provided.

Example 72

The system of any one of examples 64-71, wherein the user inputselecting the selected friend user comprises selection of acorresponding friend icon that is associated with the selected frienduser and that is displayed at an associated display location on theinteractive map.

Example 73

The system of any one of examples 64-72, wherein the map engine isconfigured to enable user-selection of the selected friend user in aprocedure comprising:

-   receiving a search input via a search mechanism provided by the    map-based GUI;-   responsive to the search input, displaying via the map-based GUI a    list of user-selectable user interface elements associated with    respective friend users; and-   receiving user-selection from the list of a particular one of the    user interface elements associated with the selected friend user.

Example 74

A method comprising:

-   causing display on a user device of a map-based graphical user    interface (GUI) for a social media application, the map-based GUI    including an interactive map of a geographical area;-   receiving, via the map-based GUI, user input selecting one of a    plurality of friend users of a user associated with the user device,    each friend user being a member of a social network of the user;-   performing an automated search for social media content based at    least in part on one or more attributes of the selected friend user,    the automated search having a location constraint that limits search    result to social media content satisfying the location constraint;    and-   causing display of search results of the automated search on the    user device via the map-based GUI.

Example 75

The method of example 74, wherein the location constraint is based atleast in part on a location attribute of the selected friend user.

Example 76

The method of example 75, wherein the search for social media content islimited to social media items having associated geo-tag informationindicating respective locations that are within a predefined distance ofa geographic location associated with the selected friend user.

Example 77

The method of example 75 or example 76, wherein the geographic locationassociated with the selected friend user is an actual location of afriend user device associated with the selected friend user.

Example 78

The method of example 75 or example 76, wherein the geographic locationassociated with the friend user, upon which the search is based, is adisplay location at which a corresponding friend icon for the selectedfriend user is displayed on the interactive map, the display locationbeing different from an actual location of a friend user deviceassociated with the friend user.

Example 79

The method of any one of examples 74-78, wherein the search further hasan owner constraint that limits social media content included in thesearch results to social media items created by a particular user.

Example 80

The method of example 79, wherein the owner constraint limits the searchresults to social media items created by the selected friend user.

Example 81

The method of any one of examples 74-80, wherein the location constraintlimits the search results to social media items having associatedgeo-tag information indicating respective locations that are locatedwithin the geographical area displayed by the interactive map when theuser input is provided.

Example 82

The method of any one of examples 74-81, wherein the user inputselecting the selected friend user comprises selection of acorresponding friend icon that is associated with the selected frienduser and that is displayed at an associated display location on theinteractive map.

Example 83

The method of any one of examples 74-82, wherein user-selection of theselected friend user comprises:

-   receiving a search input via a search mechanism provided by the    map-based GUI;-   responsive to the search input, displaying via the map-based GUI a    list of user-selectable user interface elements associated with    respective friend users; and-   receiving user-selection from the list of a particular one of the    user interface elements associated with the selected friend user.

Example 84

A method comprising:

-   causing display on a user device of a map-based graphical user    interface (GUI) for a social media platform, the map-based GUI    including an interactive map of a geographic area, the map-based GUI    providing one or more mechanisms for accessing social media content    posted to the platform;-   accessing location information for a plurality of users whose    locations are to be viewable in the map-based GUI by display of    respective user icons on the interactive map, the location    information indicating, for each of the multiple users, a respective    geographic location;-   in an automated operation that is performed using one or more    computer processors configured to perform the automated operation,    identifying from the plurality of users a set of users that    satisfies, based at least in part on their respective geographic    locations, a predefined clustering criterion; and-   causing display on the map of a cluster of icons that comprises    respective user icons for the set of users, the cluster being a user    interface element that is user-selectable as a distinct entity in    the interactive map.

Example 85

The method of claim 84, wherein the predefined clustering criteriondefines a threshold distance, the method comprising identifying the setof users such that the geographic locations of no pair of users in theset are distance exceed the threshold distance.

Example 86

The method of claim 84, wherein the predefined clustering criterionprovides for identification of the set of users based at least in parton their respective geographic locations falling within a common definedgeographical area.

Example 87

The method of any one of claims 84-86, further comprising causingdisplay, responsive to receiving user input selecting the cluster, of acluster label pertaining to the set of users in common.

Example 88

The method of claim 87, further comprising:

-   identifying that the set of users in the cluster exactly matches a    predefined user group; and-   displaying as part of the cluster label a pre-existing group name    for the user group.

Example 89

The method of any one of claims 84-87, further comprising:

-   responsive to receiving user input selecting the cluster, displaying    as part of the map-based GUI a group naming mechanism that enables    the definition and naming of the clustered set of users as a defined    user group.

Example 90

The method of any one of claims 84-89, wherein one or more of the usericons in the cluster are partially obscured by at least one other usericon in the cluster, the cluster including a topmost user icon that isunobscured.

Example 91

The method of claim 90, wherein the identity of the topmost user icon inthe cluster is dynamically variable based on a priority criterionrelated to social media activity.

Example 92

The method of claim 91, wherein the priority criterion is postingrecency, such that that one of the set of users who has most recentlyposted a social media item to the social media platform is automaticallydisplayed as the topmost user icon in the cluster.

Example 93

The method of claim 91, wherein the priority criterion is recency oflocation update, such that that one of the set of users who mostrecently updated their location is displayed as the topmost user icon inthe cluster.

Example 94

The method of any one of claims 90-93, further comprising:

-   receiving user input selecting a user icon in the cluster, the    selected user icon being a user icon other than the topmost user    icon; and-   responsive to the selection, displaying the selected user icon as    the topmost user icon.

Example 95

The method of claim 94, further comprising enabling user selection ofindividual user icons in the cluster only subsequent to user selectionof the cluster.

Example 96

A system comprising:

-   one or more computer processor devices:-   one or more memory devices having stored thereon instructions that    configure the one or more computer processor devices, when executing    the instructions, to perform operations comprising the method of any    one of claims 84-95.

Example 97

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereoninstructions for causing a machine, when executing the instructions, toperform operations comprising the method of any one of claims 84-95.

Machine and Software Architecture

These systems, system components, methods, applications, and so forthdescribed in conjunction with FIGS. 1-19 are implemented in someembodiments in the context of a machine and an associated softwarearchitecture. The sections below describe representative softwarearchitecture(s) and machine (e.g., hardware) architecture(s) that aresuitable for use with the disclosed embodiments.

Software architectures are used in conjunction with hardwarearchitectures to create devices and machines configured for particularpurposes. For example, a particular hardware architecture coupled with aparticular software architecture will create a mobile device, such as amobile phone, tablet device, or so forth. A slightly different hardwareand software architecture may yield a smart device for use in the“internet of things,” while yet another combination produces a servercomputer for use within a cloud computing architecture. The software andhardware architectures presented here are example architectures forimplementing the disclosure, and are not exhaustive as to possiblearchitectures that can be employed for implementing the disclosure.

Software Architecture

FIG. 20 is a block diagram illustrating an example software architecture2006, which may be used in conjunction with various hardwarearchitectures herein described. FIG. 20 is a non-limiting example of asoftware architecture, and it will be appreciated that many otherarchitectures may be implemented to facilitate the functionalitydescribed herein. The software architecture 2006 may execute on hardwaresuch as a machine 2100 of FIG. 21 that includes, among other things,processors 2104, memory 2114, and I/O components 2118. A representativehardware layer 2052 is illustrated and can represent, for example, themachine 2100 of FIG. 21. The representative hardware layer 2052 includesa processing unit 2054 having associated executable instructions 2004.The executable instructions 2004 represent the executable instructionsof the software architecture 2006, including implementation of themethods, components, and so forth described herein. The hardware layer2052 also includes memory and/or storage modules memory/storage 2056,which also have the executable instructions 2004. The hardware layer2052 may also comprise other hardware 2058.

In the example architecture of FIG. 20, the software architecture 2006may be conceptualized as a stack of layers where each layer providesparticular functionality. For example, the software architecture 2006may include layers such as an operating system 2002, libraries 2020,frameworks/middleware 2018, applications 2016, and a presentation layer2014. Operationally, the applications 2016 and/or other componentswithin the layers may invoke application programming interface (API)calls 2008 through the software stack and receive a response in the formof messages 2008. The layers illustrated are representative in nature,and not all software architectures have all layers. For example, somemobile or special-purpose operating systems may not provide aframeworks/middleware 2018, while others may provide such a layer. Othersoftware architectures may include additional or different layers.

The operating system 2002 may manage hardware resources and providecommon services. The operating system 2002 may include, for example, akernel 2022, services 2024, and drivers 2026. The kernel 2022 may act asan abstraction layer between the hardware and the other software layers.For example, the kernel 2022 may be responsible for memory management,processor management (e.g., scheduling), component management,networking, security settings, and so on. The services 2024 may provideother common services for the other software layers. The drivers 2026are responsible for controlling or interfacing with the underlyinghardware. For instance, the drivers 2026 include display drivers, cameradrivers, Bluetooth® drivers, flash memory drivers, serial communicationdrivers (e.g., Universal Serial Bus (USB) drivers), Wi-Fi® drivers,audio drivers, power management drivers, and so forth depending on thehardware configuration.

The libraries 2020 provide a common infrastructure that is used by theapplications 2016 and/or other components and/or layers. The libraries2020 provide functionality that allows other software components toperform tasks in an easier fashion than by interfacing directly with theunderlying operating system 2002 functionality (e.g., kernel 2022,services 2024, and/or drivers 2026). The libraries 2020 may includesystem libraries 2044 (e.g., C standard library) that may providefunctions such as memory allocation functions, string manipulationfunctions, mathematical functions, and the like. In addition, thelibraries 2020 may include API libraries 2046 such as media libraries(e.g., libraries to support presentation and manipulation of variousmedia formats such as MPEG4, H.264, MP3, AAC, AMR, JPG, PNG), graphicslibraries (e.g., an OpenGL framework that may be used to render 2D and3D graphic content on a display), database libraries (e.g., SQLite thatmay provide various relational database functions), web libraries (e.g.,WebKit that may provide web browsing functionality), and the like. Thelibraries 2020 may also include a wide variety of other libraries 2048to provide many other APIs to the applications 2016 and other softwarecomponents/modules.

The frameworks/middleware 2018 provides a higher-level commoninfrastructure that may be used by the applications 2016 and/or othersoftware components/modules. For example, the frameworks/middleware 2018may provide various graphic user interface (GUI) functions, high-levelresource management, high-level location services, and so forth. Theframeworks/middleware 2018 may provide a broad spectrum of other APIsthat may be utilized by the applications 2016 and/or other softwarecomponents/modules, some of which may be specific to a particularoperating system 2002 or platform.

The applications 2016 include built-in applications 2038 and/orthird-party applications 2040. Examples of representative built-inapplications 2038 may include, but are not limited to, a contactsapplication, a browser application, a book reader application, alocation application, a media application, a messaging application,and/or a game application. The third-party applications 2040 may includean application developed using the ANDROID™ or IOS™ software developmentkit (SDK) by an entity other than the vendor of the particular platform,and may be mobile software running on a mobile operating system such asIOS™, ANDROID™, WINDOWS® Phone, or other mobile operating systems. Thethird-party applications 2040 may invoke the API calls 2008 provided bythe mobile operating system (such as the operating system 2002) tofacilitate functionality described herein.

The applications 2016 may use built-in operating system 2002 functions(e.g., kernel 2022, services 2024, and/or drivers 2026), libraries 2020,and frameworks/middleware 2018 to create user interfaces to interactwith users of the system. Alternatively, or additionally, in somesystems interactions with a user may occur through a presentation layer,such as the presentation layer 2014. In these systems, theapplication/component “logic” can be separated from the aspects of theapplication/component that interact with a user.

Hardware Architecture

FIG. 21 is a block diagram illustrating components of a machine 2100,according to some example embodiments, able to read instructions from amachine-readable medium (e.g., a machine-readable storage medium) andperform any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein.Specifically, FIG. 21 shows a diagrammatic representation of the machine2100 in the example form of a computer system, within which instructions2110 (e.g., software, a program, an application, an applet, an app, orother executable code) for causing the machine 2100 to perform any oneor more of the methodologies discussed herein may be executed. As such,the instructions 2110 may be used to implement modules or componentsdescribed herein. The instructions 2110 transform the general,non-programmed machine 2100 into a particular machine 2100 programmed tocarry out the described and illustrated functions in the mannerdescribed. In alternative embodiments, the machine 2100 operates as astandalone device or may be coupled (e.g., networked) to other machines.In a networked deployment, the machine 2100 may operate in the capacityof a server machine or a client machine in a server-client networkenvironment, or as a peer machine in a peer-to-peer (or distributed)network environment. The machine 2100 may comprise, but not be limitedto, a server computer, a client computer, a personal computer (PC), atablet computer, a laptop computer, a netbook, a set-top box (STB), apersonal digital assistant (PDA), an entertainment media system, acellular telephone, a smart phone, a mobile device, a wearable device(e.g., a smart watch), a smart home device (e.g., a smart appliance),other smart devices, a web appliance, a network router, a networkswitch, a network bridge, or any machine capable of executing theinstructions 2110, sequentially or otherwise, that specify actions to betaken by the machine 2100. Further, while only a single machine 2100 isillustrated, the term “machine” shall also be taken to include acollection of machines that individually or jointly execute theinstructions 2110 to perform any one or more of the methodologiesdiscussed herein.

The machine 2100 may include processors 2104, memory/storage 2106, andI/O components 2118, which may be configured to communicate with eachother such as via a bus 2102. The memory/storage 2106 may include amemory 2114, such as a main memory, or other memory storage, and astorage unit 2116, both accessible to the processors 2104 such as viathe bus 2102. The storage unit 2116 and memory 2114 store theinstructions 2110 embodying any one or more of the methodologies orfunctions described herein. The instructions 2110 may also reside,completely or partially, within the memory 2114, within the storage unit2116, within at least one of the processors 2104 (e.g., within theprocessor's cache memory), or any suitable combination thereof, duringexecution thereof by the machine 2100. Accordingly, the memory 2114, thestorage unit 2116, and the memory of the processors 2104 are examples ofmachine-readable media. In some embodiments, the processors 2104comprise a number of distributed processors 2108-2112, each of whichhave access to associated memories storing instructions 2110.

The I/O components 2118 may include a wide variety of components toreceive input, provide output, produce output, transmit information,exchange information, capture measurements, and so on. The specific I/Ocomponents 2118 that are included in a particular machine 2100 willdepend on the type of machine. For example, portable machines such asmobile phones will likely include a touch input device or other suchinput mechanisms, while a headless server machine will likely notinclude such a touch input device. It will be appreciated that the I/Ocomponents 2118 may include many other components that are not shown inFIG. 21. The I/O components 2118 are grouped according to functionalitymerely for simplifying the following discussion, and the grouping is inno way limiting. In various example embodiments, the I/O components 2118may include output components 2126 and input components 2128. The outputcomponents 2126 may include visual components (e.g., a display such as aplasma display panel (PDP), a light-emitting diode (LED) display, aliquid crystal display (LCD), a projector, or a cathode ray tube (CRT)),acoustic components (e.g., speakers), haptic components (e.g., avibratory motor, resistance mechanisms), other signal generators, and soforth. The input components 2128 may include alphanumeric inputcomponents (e.g., a keyboard, a touchscreen configured to receivealphanumeric input, a photo-optical keyboard, or other alphanumericinput components), point-based input components (e.g., a mouse, atouchpad, a trackball, a joystick, a motion sensor, or other pointinginstruments), tactile input components (e.g., a physical button, atouchscreen that provides location and/or force of touches or touchgestures, or other tactile input components), audio input components(e.g., a microphone), and the like.

In further example embodiments, the I/O components 2118 may includebiometric components 2130, motion components 2134, environmentcomponents 2136, or position components 2138 among a wide array of othercomponents. For example, the biometric components 2130 may includecomponents to detect expressions (e.g., hand expressions, facialexpressions, vocal expressions, body gestures, or eye tracking), measurebiosignals (e.g., blood pressure, heart rate, body temperature,perspiration, or brain waves), identify a person (e.g., voiceidentification, retinal identification, facial identification,fingerprint identification, or electroencephalogram-basedidentification), and the like. The motion components 2134 may includeacceleration sensor components (e.g., accelerometer), gravitation sensorcomponents, rotation sensor components (e.g., gyroscope), and so forth.The environment components 2136 may include, for example, illuminationsensor components (e.g., photometer), temperature sensor components(e.g., one or more thermometers that detect ambient temperature),humidity sensor components, pressure sensor components (e.g.,barometer), acoustic sensor components (e.g., one or more microphonesthat detect background noise), proximity sensor components (e.g.,infrared sensors that detect nearby objects), gas sensors (e.g., gassensors to detect concentrations of hazardous gases for safety or tomeasure pollutants in the atmosphere), or other components that mayprovide indications, measurements, or signals corresponding to asurrounding physical environment. The position components 2138 mayinclude location sensor components (e.g., a Global Positioning System(GPS) receiver component), altitude sensor components (e.g., altimetersor barometers that detect air pressure from which altitude may bederived), orientation sensor components (e.g., magnetometers), and thelike.

Communication may be implemented using a wide variety of technologies.The I/O components 2118 may include communication components 2140operable to couple the machine 2100 to a network 2132 or devices 2120via a coupling 2124 and a coupling 2122 respectively. For example, thecommunication components 2140 may include a network interface componentor other suitable device to interface with the network 2132. In furtherexamples, the communication components 2140 may include wiredcommunication components, wireless communication components, cellularcommunication components, Near Field Communication (NFC) components,Bluetooth® components (e.g., Bluetooth® Low Energy), Wi-Fi® components,and other communication components to provide communication via othermodalities. The devices 2120 may be another machine or any of a widevariety of peripheral devices (e.g., a peripheral device coupled via aUniversal Serial Bus (USB)).

Moreover, the communication components 2140 may detect identifiers orinclude components operable to detect identifiers. For example, thecommunication components 2140 may include Radio Frequency Identification(RFID) tag reader components, NFC smart tag detection components,optical reader components (e.g., an optical sensor to detectone-dimensional bar codes such as Universal Product Code (UPC) bar code,multi-dimensional bar codes such as Quick Response (QR) code, Azteccode, Data Matrix, Dataglyph, MaxiCode, PDF417, Ultra Code, UCC RSS-2Dbar code, and other optical codes), or acoustic detection components(e.g., microphones to identify tagged audio signals). In addition, avariety of information may be derived via the communication components2140, such as location via Internet Protocol (IP) geolocation, locationvia Wi-Fi® signal triangulation, location via detecting an NFC beaconsignal that may indicate a particular location, and so forth.

Glossary

“CARRIER SIGNAL” in this context refers to any intangible medium that iscapable of storing, encoding, or carrying instructions for execution bythe machine, and includes digital or analog communications signals orother intangible media to facilitate communication of such instructions.Instructions may be transmitted or received over the network using atransmission medium via a network interface device and using any one ofa number of well-known transfer protocols.

“CLIENT DEVICE” in this context refers to any machine that interfaces toa communications network to obtain resources from one or more serversystems or other client devices. A client device may be, but is notlimited to, a mobile phone, desktop computer, laptop, portable digitalassistant (PDA), smart phone, tablet, ultra book, netbook, laptop,multi-processor system, microprocessor-based or programmable consumerelectronic system, game console, set-top box, or any other communicationdevice that a user may use to access a network.

“COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK” in this context refers to one or more portionsof a network that may be an ad hoc network, an intranet, an extranet, avirtual private network (VPN), a local area network (LAN), a wirelessLAN (WLAN), a wide area network (WAN), a wireless WAN (WWAN), ametropolitan area network (MAN), the Internet, a portion of theInternet, a portion of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), aplain old telephone service (POTS) network, a cellular telephonenetwork, a wireless network, a Wi-Fi® network, another type of network,or a combination of two or more such networks. For example, a network ora portion of a network may include a wireless or cellular network, andthe coupling may be a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) connection, aGlobal System for Mobile communications (GSM) connection, or anothertype of cellular or wireless coupling. In this example, the coupling mayimplement any of a variety of types of data transfer technology, such asSingle Carrier Radio Transmission Technology (1×RTT), Evolution-DataOptimized (EVDO) technology, General Packet Radio Service (GPRS)technology, Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE) technology,third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) including 3G, fourthgeneration wireless (4G) networks, Universal Mobile TelecommunicationsSystem (UMTS), High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA), WorldwideInteroperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), Long-Term Evolution (LTE)standard, others defined by various standard-setting organizations,other long-range protocols, or other data-transfer technology.

“EMPHEMERAL MESSAGE” in this context refers to a message that isaccessible for a time-limited duration. An ephemeral message may be atext, an image, a video and the like. The access time for the ephemeralmessage may be set by the message sender. Alternatively, the access timemay be a default setting or a setting specified by the recipient.Regardless of the setting technique, the message is transitory. “Snaps”as referenced in the description are ephemeral messages. Ephemeralmessages are not limited to communications having specified individualrecipients, but include social media items uploaded to a gallery or acollection for viewing by multiple users. Thus, the term ephemeralmessage includes a photo or video clip (which may be augmented orunaugmented) made available for a time-limited duration for viewingpublic or by a

“MACHINE-READABLE MEDIUM” in this context refers to a component, adevice, or other tangible media able to store instructions and datatemporarily or permanently and may include, but is not limited to,random-access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), buffer memory, flashmemory, optical media, magnetic media, cache memory, other types ofstorage (e.g., Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EPROM)), and/orany suitable combination thereof. The term “machine-readable medium”should be taken to include a single medium or multiple media (e.g., acentralized or distributed database, or associated caches and servers)able to store instructions. The term “machine-readable medium” shallalso be taken to include any medium, or combination of multiple media,that is capable of storing instructions (e.g., code) for execution by amachine, such that the instructions, when executed by one or moreprocessors of the machine, cause the machine to perform any one or moreof the methodologies described herein. Accordingly, a “machine-readablemedium” refers to a single storage apparatus or device, as well as“cloud-based” storage systems or storage networks that include multiplestorage apparatus or devices. The term “machine-readable medium”excludes signals per se.

“COMPONENT” in this context refers to a device, a physical entity, orlogic having boundaries defined by function or subroutine calls, branchpoints, application programming interfaces (APIs), or other technologiesthat provide for the partitioning or modularization of particularprocessing or control functions. Components may be combined via theirinterfaces with other components to carry out a machine process. Acomponent may be a packaged functional hardware unit designed for usewith other components and a part of a program that usually performs aparticular function of related functions. Components may constituteeither software components (e.g., code embodied on a machine-readablemedium) or hardware components. A “hardware component” is a tangibleunit capable of performing certain operations and may be configured orarranged in a certain physical manner In various example embodiments,one or more computer systems (e.g., a standalone computer system, aclient computer system, or a server computer system) or one or morehardware components of a computer system (e.g., a processor or a groupof processors) may be configured by software (e.g., an application orapplication portion) as a hardware component that operates to performcertain operations as described herein. A hardware component may also beimplemented mechanically, electronically, or any suitable combinationthereof. For example, a hardware component may include dedicatedcircuitry or logic that is permanently configured to perform certainoperations. A hardware component may be a special-purpose processor,such as a Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) or anApplication-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC). A hardware component mayalso include programmable logic or circuitry that is temporarilyconfigured by software to perform certain operations. For example, ahardware component may include software executed by a general-purposeprocessor or other programmable processor. Once configured by suchsoftware, hardware components become specific machines (or specificcomponents of a machine) uniquely tailored to perform the configuredfunctions and are no longer general-purpose processors. It will beappreciated that the decision to implement a hardware componentmechanically, in dedicated and permanently configured circuitry, or intemporarily configured circuitry (e.g., configured by software) may bedriven by cost and time considerations. Accordingly, the phrase“hardware component” (or “hardware-implemented component”) should beunderstood to encompass a tangible entity, be that an entity that isphysically constructed, permanently configured (e.g., hardwired), ortemporarily configured (e.g., programmed) to operate in a certain manneror to perform certain operations described herein. Consideringembodiments in which hardware components are temporarily configured(e.g., programmed), each of the hardware components need not beconfigured or instantiated at any one instance in time. For example,where a hardware component comprises a general-purpose processorconfigured by software to become a special-purpose processor, thegeneral-purpose processor may be configured as respectively differentspecial-purpose processors (e.g., comprising different hardwarecomponents) at different times. Software accordingly configures aparticular processor or processors, for example, to constitute aparticular hardware component at one instance of time and to constitutea different hardware component at a different instance of time. Hardwarecomponents can provide information to, and receive information from,other hardware components. Accordingly, the described hardwarecomponents may be regarded as being communicatively coupled. Wheremultiple hardware components exist contemporaneously, communications maybe achieved through signal transmission (e.g., over appropriate circuitsand buses) between or among two or more of the hardware components. Inembodiments in which multiple hardware components are configured orinstantiated at different times, communications between such hardwarecomponents may be achieved, for example, through the storage andretrieval of information in memory structures to which the multiplehardware components have access. For example, one hardware component mayperform an operation and store the output of that operation in a memorydevice to which it is communicatively coupled. A further hardwarecomponent may then, at a later time, access the memory device toretrieve and process the stored output. Hardware components may alsoinitiate communications with input or output devices, and can operate ona resource (e.g., a collection of information). The various operationsof example methods described herein may be performed, at leastpartially, by one or more processors that are temporarily configured(e.g., by software) or permanently configured to perform the relevantoperations. Whether temporarily or permanently configured, suchprocessors may constitute processor-implemented components that operateto perform one or more operations or functions described herein. As usedherein, “processor-implemented component” refers to a hardware componentimplemented using one or more processors. Similarly, the methodsdescribed herein may be at least partially processor-implemented, with aparticular processor or processors being an example of hardware. Forexample, at least some of the operations of a method may be performed byone or more processors or processor-implemented components. Moreover,the one or more processors may also operate to support performance ofthe relevant operations in a “cloud computing” environment or as a“software as a service” (SaaS). For example, at least some of theoperations may be performed by a group of computers (as examples ofmachines including processors), with these operations being accessiblevia a network (e.g., the Internet) and via one or more appropriateinterfaces (e.g., an application programming interface (API)). Theperformance of certain of the operations may be distributed among theprocessors, not only residing within a single machine, but deployedacross a number of machines. In some example embodiments, the processorsor processor-implemented components may be located in a singlegeographic location (e.g., within a home environment, an officeenvironment, or a server farm). In other example embodiments, theprocessors or processor-implemented components may be distributed acrossa number of geographic locations.

“PROCESSOR” in this context refers to any circuit or virtual circuit (aphysical circuit emulated by logic executing on an actual processor)that manipulates data values according to control signals (e.g.,“commands,” “op codes,” “machine code,” etc.) and which producescorresponding output signals that are applied to operate a machine. Aprocessor may, for example, be a Central Processing Unit (CPU), aReduced Instruction Set Computing (RISC) processor, a ComplexInstruction Set Computing (CISC) processor, a Graphics Processing Unit(GPU), a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), an Application-SpecificIntegrated Circuit (ASIC), a Radio-Frequency Integrated Circuit (RFIC),or any combination thereof. A processor may further be a multi-coreprocessor having two or more independent processors (sometimes referredto as “cores”) that may execute instructions contemporaneously.

“TIMESTAMP” in this context refers to a sequence of characters orencoded information identifying when a certain event occurred, forexample giving date and time of day, sometimes accurate to a smallfraction of a second.

Language

Throughout this specification, plural instances may implementcomponents, operations, or structures described as a single instance.Although individual operations of one or more methods are illustratedand described as separate operations, one or more of the individualoperations may be performed concurrently, and nothing requires that theoperations be performed in the order illustrated, unless that thecontext and/or logic clearly indicates otherwise. Structures andfunctionality presented as separate components in example configurationsmay be implemented as a combined structure or component. Similarly,structures and functionality presented as a single component may beimplemented as separate components. These and other variations,modifications, additions, and improvements fall within the scope of thesubject matter herein.

Although an overview of the disclosed subject matter has been describedwith reference to specific example embodiments, various modificationsand changes may be made to these embodiments without departing from thebroader scope of embodiments of the present disclosure.

The embodiments illustrated herein are described in sufficient detail toenable those skilled in the art to practice the teachings disclosed.Other embodiments may be used and derived therefrom, such thatstructural and logical substitutions and changes may be made withoutdeparting from the scope of this disclosure. The Detailed Description,therefore, is not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope ofvarious embodiments is defined only by the appended claims, along withthe full range of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

As used herein, the term “or” may be construed in either an inclusive orexclusive sense. Moreover, plural instances may be provided forresources, operations, or structures described herein as a singleinstance. Additionally, boundaries between various resources,operations, modules, engines, and data stores are somewhat arbitrary,and particular operations are illustrated in a context of specificillustrative configurations. The specification and drawings are,accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictivesense.

1. A system comprising: a user location mechanism comprising one or morecomputer processors configured to perform operations comprising:determining an actual location of a user device associated with a userof a social media application; identifying a defined geographical regionwithin which the actual location of the user device is situated, thedefined geographical region having geographical boundaries that areagnostic to the actual location of the user device, so that the definedgeographical region remains consistent between different instancesirrespective of changes in the actual location of the user device; anddetermining a display location for the user such that the displaylocation differs from the actual location of the user device, and suchthat the display location is within the defined geographical region; anda map engine comprising one or more computer processor devicesconfigured to perform operations comprising: causing generation of amap-based graphical user interface (GUI) for a social media application,the map-based GUI including an interactive map of a geographical areathat includes at least part of the defined geographical region; andcausing display on the interactive map of the GUI of a user icon at thedisplay location, the user icon being representative of the userassociated with the user device.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein themap-based GUI is generated on a friend user device that is associatedwith a friend user who is a member of a social network of the user. 3.The system of claim 2, wherein the map engine is configured to, inresponse to generation of an instance of the map-based GUI on the userdevice, cause display of the user icon for the user substantially at theactual location, so that the display location of the user icon isdifferent on the user device than it is on the friend user device. 4.The system of claim 1, wherein the defined geographical region is acartographically defined area.
 5. The system of claim 4, wherein thegeographically defined region is a city.
 6. The system of claim 4,wherein the geographically defined region is a neighborhood.
 7. Thesystem of claim 2, wherein the user location mechanism is configured todetermine the display location by generating the display location in anat least partially randomized procedure.
 8. The system of claim 2,wherein the user location mechanism is configured to determine thedisplay location by generating a random location within the definedgeographical region.
 9. The system of claim 2, wherein the user locationmechanism is further configured to maintain, while the user device islocated in the defined geographical region, the display locationconsistent between different instances of generation of the map-basedGUI.
 10. The system of claim 2, wherein the map engine is configure todisplay in association with the user icon a label indicating theidentified defined geographical region.
 11. A method comprising:determining an actual location of a user device associated with a userof a social media application; identifying a defined geographical regionwithin which the actual location of the user device is situated, thedefined geographical region having geographical boundaries that areagnostic to the actual location of the user device, so that the definedgeographical region remains consistent between different instancesirrespective of changes in the actual location of the user device;determining a display location for the user such that the displaylocation differs from the actual location of the user device, and suchthat the display location is within the defined geographical region;causing generation of a map-based graphical user interface (GUI) for asocial media application, the map-based GUI including an interactive mapof a geographical area that includes at least part of the definedgeographical region; and causing display on the interactive map of theGUI of a user icon at the display location, the user icon beingrepresentative of the user associated with the user device.
 12. Themethod of claim 11, wherein the map-based GUI is generated on a frienduser device that is associated with a friend user who is a member of asocial network of the user.
 13. The method of claim 12, furthercomprising, in response to generation of an instance of the map-basedGUI on the user device, causing display of the user icon for the usersubstantially at the actual location, so that the display location ofthe user icon is different on the user device than it is on the frienduser device.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the geographicallydefined region is a city.
 15. The method of claim 13, wherein thegeographically defined region is a neighborhood.
 16. The method of claim12, wherein determining the display location comprises generating thedisplay location in an at least partially randomized procedure.
 17. Themethod of claim 12, wherein the determining of the display locationcomprises generating a random location within the defined geographicalregion.
 18. The method of claim 12, further comprising, while the userdevice is located in the defined geographical region, maintaining thedisplay location consistent between different instances of generation ofthe map-based GUI.
 19. The method of claim 12, wherein the displaying ofthe user icon comprises displaying in association with the user icon alabel indicating the defined geographical region.
 20. A non-transitorycomputer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions forcausing a machine, when executing the instructions, to performoperations comprising: determining an actual location of a user deviceassociated with a user of a social media application; identifying adefined geographical region within which the actual location of the userdevice is situated, the defined geographical region having geographicalboundaries that are agnostic to the actual location of the user device,so that the defined geographical region remains consistent betweendifferent instances irrespective of changes in the actual location ofthe user device; determining a display location for the user such thatthe display location differs from the actual location of the userdevice, and such that the display location is within the definedgeographical region; causing generation of a map-based graphical userinterface (GUI) for a social media application, the map-based GUIincluding an interactive map of a geographical area that includes atleast part of the defined geographical region; and causing display onthe interactive map of the GUI of a user icon at the display location,the user icon being representative of the user associated with the userdevice.